


The Lion and the Ox

by MissFirefly



Series: The Lion [3]
Category: Kung Fu Panda (Movies)
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, Chinese Underworld, F/M, Mortal Realm, Near Death, Trips to/from Spirit Realm, spirit realm
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-24
Updated: 2021-01-05
Packaged: 2021-03-03 00:41:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 53,583
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24355993
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MissFirefly/pseuds/MissFirefly
Summary: Master Leo Lung has dealt with everything from vengeful leopards to genocidal peacocks. However, a new, much deadlier threat looms on the horizon. Kai, the chi-stealing ox, is back in the mortal realm and out for blood. Leo, Shifu, Po, Tigress, and some new and familiar faces, must rally together to face their biggest opponent yet, or risk losing their souls forever.
Relationships: OC/OC
Series: The Lion [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1498274
Comments: 3
Kudos: 8





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome to 'The Lion and the Ox'! This story will complete the trilogy that I have been writing for the past six years (Yes, Six!). I hope you guys are excited because I sure am!
> 
> In this story, our favorite lion, tiger, and panda bear trio will face their toughest opponent yet. I strongly recommend you read the two predecessors to this story ('The Lion and the Leopard' and 'The Lion and the Peacock') if you haven't already.
> 
> I have watched and taken plenty of notes on the movie and, like the previous stories, this one will deviate from the plot. Although I will try to maintain some adherence to the original movie plot (Shifu retiring, Li arriving at the Valley, The Five vs. Kai, etc.), it may take several chapters and some divergence before we see that.
> 
> This story will likely contain entire chapter-long battles, plot twists that will keep you on the edge of your seat, main characters who will lead the fight for their lives, side characters who don't mess around, and a villain who will stop at nothing to achieve the ultimate destruction of all who oppose him. Many of the characters we have met so far will come together for the ultimate showdown of good vs. evil in the epic conclusion we've all been waiting for! So buckle your seat belts, ladies and gentlemen, and let's get this show on the road!

The last thing Alpha saw before he died was Shui's lovely face. He saw her beautiful blue eyes, and the tears that fell from them. Alpha smiled weakly up at her. {My only regret} he thought, {is that I can not raise my child with you.} The commander lifted his arm up to her, and he gently held her cheek in his. He felt his strength fade, and he knew it was time. He had to let go.

That was when darkness swirled in his face, blocking out his senses and environment. His paw fell and hit the wooden bridge with a thump. The pain in his body seemed to fade. Alpha let this sensation sweep over him.

Despite the seemingly endless amount of black surrounding him, Alpha gazed around. Was this death? He didn't feel any more pain. In fact, he didn't feeling anything. Was he upright? Or was he on his back, in the same way he died? Where did his body begin? Or end, for that matter? His one good eye strained, trying to find anything- any light, any people, any thing that would give him an idea of where he was.

Hours seemed to pass with nothing happening. {Is this how I'll spend eternity?} He sighed sadly at the thought. Would he ever see Shui again? Or the pack? He closed his good eye in sadness- not that that made any difference, he still couldn't see anything in the darkness.

"You won't spend eternity in the dark if you open your eyes." A voice said out of the darkness.

Alpha opened his eye and nearly gasped. The environment had changed! The scenery, instead of being as black as the void, was now a deep red. He was in a circular room, made of deep red bricks. Alpha was indeed on his back. He moved to stand up.

When the wolf was on his feet, he thought he would feel the pain that Tigress had inflicted on him. But Alpha felt no pain as he stood. He examined himself and saw that many of the deep slashes and bite marks still littered his body. They were red, but not bleeding. In fact, it seemed like they were glowing. {That's weird.} He thought.

When Alpha looked around, he was confronted by an dark brown ox and a light grey horse. They were both clad in deep red- almost black- armor. Both of them carried large spears.

Alpha stared at the two and gathered his strength to speak, "D..Did you read my mind?" He rasped. His mouth felt dry, like it was full of cotton, and his tongue felt swollen.

The ox snorted, "Yes. We have that power. Now that you are standing, come with us."

The two guards- Alpha assumed they were guards by their armor- turned and pushed open a heavy door on one side of the room. Alpha stumbled after them. When the large door was opened, a blaze of heat swept across Alpha's fur.

In front of him spanned a massive bridge. Even when Alpha squinted his eye, he couldn't see the end of the bridge. A red haze fell over everything. Torches with red fire lit up the bricks on the bridge. Behind him, Alpha saw that the circular room he had 'arrived' in was lit with torches.

But what spooked Alpha was not the visuals. It was the sounds. Shrieks, cries and pained moans flowed up from under the bridge. A bolt of realization hit Alpha. He stopped in his tracks and looked at the ox and horse in front of him, "I am in Diyu, aren't I?"

They both nodded their heads, but none of them turned to look or talk to him. They simply continued walking towards the bridge.

Alpha gulped sadly. Diyu, the underworld, was where souls went to be judged. Alpha had never listened to that stuff very much, but he had heard stories of the souls of criminals who spent eternity being tortured for their crimes. He wished he had listened more.

He followed them onto the brimstone bridge- which was wide enough for several elephants to walk side-by-side on. Alpha looked over the edge of the bridge, only to see the same red haze that lingered like fog. Screams rose from said red haze, and Alpha whined. He caught up to the two guards, who had lowered their spears to their sides, "Please don't let this be my fate." He cried, "I have a wife-"

"You can let King Yama decide your fate." The horse whinnied, "He alone decides what will be done with your soul. But only the worst of criminals spend eternity here."

Alpha felt a wave of helplessness wash over him. Alpha had knowingly committed murder, destruction of homes, and theft for the sake of Shen's cause. He listened quietly to the pained moans rising from the pit that the bridge spanned. Is this what he was doomed to?

After another hour of walking quietly and listening to the tortured wails coming from below, the end of the bridge was finally in sight. The first thing Alpha saw, however, was a line. A line of what seemed like a hundred other animals were waiting in front of a large door. The wolf moved ahead of the ox and horse, craning his neck to see how many animals waited ahead of him.

Alpha hadn't noticed that the ox and horse disappeared behind him- possibly to fetch the next soul- and the wolf moved to join the end of the line. He stopped behind a large ram.

The wolf tapped the ram on the shoulder, "What are we waiting in line for?"

The ram turned around, revealing a large cut across his chest- giving a tell-tale clue as to how he died. Alpha nearly recoiled, but held his composure. The ram spoke, "We are going to see King Yama for judgement. I hope I get to go to Heaven." The ram sighed wistfully.

Alpha's ears perked up, "Wait? We can go to Heaven? I thought we are stuck here for good."

The ram shook his head, "I was always told if you are good in life, King Yama will open the gates of Heaven for you. But if you are sinister, you must carry out your sentence before he opens the gates for you."

"Sentence? So we don't have to spend eternity here in Diyu?" Alpha felt a glimmer of hope in his chest.

"I hope not!" The ram laughed wholeheartedly. Alpha chuckled nervously along. The ram looked at Alpha, scanning his body,

"Geez, buddy, what happened to you?" The ram gestured to, well, all of Alpha.

Alpha looked down at his body. He remembered Tigress lunging at him. She unleashed a fury unlike anything Alpha had ever seen- and it killed him. The criss-crossed slashes and circular teeth marks glowed red in the dark light.

"Got on the bad side of a tiger." Alpha chuckled and shrugged. The ram's eyes widened, but before he could ask anymore questions, Alpha interrupted, "What about you?" Alpha asked, glancing at the knife-like wound on the ram's chest.

"A burglar broke into my home." The ram answered simply, "I was protecting my family. I hope they are ok." He sighed, brushing his hoof over the wound on his chest. Alpha nodded sadly. He suspected none of his wolves were the cause- they had all been in the battle- but he nodded along with the ram,

"My wife was there when I died..." Alpha sighed, "She's carrying my child. I only hope she and my child are ok."

The ram nodded in understanding. As the two souls talked, the line moved along. Alpha never revealed his life crimes or the minute details of his death- for fear that his newfound friend would shun and turn his back on the him. Alpha turned and looked over his shoulder, but, instead of seeing the bridge that he just crossed, he saw a line of animals which disappeared into the familiar red haze. He didn't see anybody he knew. {China is a large country. There are probably people dying all the time that I don't know about.} Alpha thought.

He sighed in relief. If he didn't see any of his pack, that meant none of them died, right? Although a selfish part of Alpha's brain wished he hadn't been killed, he was satisfied that he took the fall instead of Shui or any of his other packmates. He turned back to the ram, who was telling a story from his mortal life.

The small talk continued until the two were at the front of the line, near the doors. The doors themselves were about twice as tall as Alpha, and two antelope guards stood guard. When it was the ram's turn. He sent a toothy grin to Alpha,

"Wish me luck, haha!" He laughed. Alpha smiled. The antelope guards wordlessly opened the doors. Alpha suddenly called out after him,

"Wait! I forgot to ask for your-" The doors slammed shut, "name." Alpha fell quiet awkwardly. He sighed quietly. Now he might never see that ram again. If Alpha ever got to go to Heaven, he would be sure to seek out his new friend.

"Is it that important to get one animal's name?" A raspy voice snorted behind him.

Alpha, even though he only knew the ram for what seemed like a few hours, felt his ears pin to his head. The ram had seemed like a nice man, who died defending his family. Alpha turned, ready to confront this naysayer, when he was met with a shock of white, starkly contrasting the red of the brimstone around him.

Shen stood there, a wicked smirk on his beak. Alpha's jaw fell, "L-Lord Shen...!" He stuttered for words, "I didn't even...see you!"

The white peacock gazed at the wolf loftily, "For some reason, many of these people, peasants really, let me pass by them. I guess they wanted me to go before them." The prince smirked, almost satisfied that he had found Alpha here.

Alpha shook his head in disbelief, "Wait-wait, you died? In the battle, sir?"

Shen visibly bristled. He glared at Alpha, "If I were still alive I wouldn't be here now would I?" He growled.

Alpha nodded quietly. {Many people let him pass by them...} He thought as he tried not to stare at the white peacock, {because they know him. They fear him.}

The doors were hauled open by the antelope guards. {That was quick} Alpha gulped nervously. {King Yama probably let that ram into Heaven.} Alpha cast one last look at Shen, who glared at him. He took a step into the large doors, and turned to face whatever awaited him.

Alpha thought he would be in a large throne room, with King Yama's big booming voice reigning judgement upon him with a flaming sword. However, instead of all of that, he was in what looked like a humble study. The room was not elaborately decorated. Torches were placed in the center of the walls, giving adequate lighting. Scrolls were scattered here and there, some opened, some sealed shut with wax. A map of Asia was pinned on one wall, with many major cities marked, not just in China. At the very back of the room, a golden sword with a red hilt was enclosed in a glass case.

In the center of the room was a simple wooden desk and chair. Sitting at that desk, Alpha saw King Yama himself, who was a tall, dark buffalo with horns that curled and branched in an elaborate pattern. When Alpha looked closer, he saw that his horns almost resembled a crown. Every tip of his horns, whether they faced the ceiling or the floor, were a shimmering gold.

Alpha gulped. The buffalo, who was larger than any creature that Alpha had ever seen, seemed out of place. He looked like he belonged in the battlefield leading an army to victory, not sitting at a desk.

"Step forth." King Yama said, looking down in a book that was open on the desk. His voice, although not booming, was deep and commanding. Alpha obeyed out of pure fear. This creature- this king- held his soul's fate in his hooves; Alpha did not dare entertain the thought of what would happen if he disobeyed.

"I am Alpha." The wolf said, trying to remain polite and humble, "I am-"

"I know who you are." Yama looked up from his book. His eyes were a deep green, as green as the moss that grew in the jungles of India. They bore into Alpha's one crimson eye, as if searching his soul. Alpha glanced about as Yama continued, "You are Prince Shen's military commander. You died in battle. You have a wife, who shall soon bear your child, and a pack of wolves who follow you loyally. Am I wrong?"

The buffalo was spot on. Although Yama has shown no signs of anger or aggression towards Alpha, the wolf knew better than to challenge him, "You are right, sir."

"I am also to believe you aided Prince Shen in the slaughter of a village of peaceful farmers. You have destroyed homes and lives. You've taken property that doesn't belong to you. You attempted to kidnap a child. Am I also wrong?" King Yama looked at him, one eyebrow raised.

Alpha shifted nervously. Yama had him backed into a corner, and he had only been in the room less than five minutes. Alpha stood tall and nodded resolutely, "You are right, sir, although I would like to add one thing."

King Yama looked exasperated, "The only thing missing from your list of crimes is rape, Alpha. If I were you, I wouldn't do that to yourself."

Alpha shook his head, "No, your Majesty, that is not what I meant. In the hours before I died, I have changed. I planned on leading my wolves to a quiet village to live on our own. I- my pack- would have left Shen in the dust, sir. I had realized the error in my ways. If I had not died in that battle, I would have abandoned Shen- killed him if I had to...but someone beat me to it." Alpha glanced back at the door, where Shen was probably waiting impatiently.

King Yama groaned and pinched the bridge of his nose, "So you would have committed treason and mutiny? Is that what I am hearing?"

Despite the mounting pressure, Alpha nodded, "Yes, King Yama."

With a sudden smirk, Yama nodded, "Good. I know Shen is next in line. I am sure he would love to hear that. His judgement will be an absolute field day." The king groaned, almost as if he were tired, "Now," Yama sighed, "you do not belong in Heaven, at least not right now. The only way to get into Heaven from Diyu is to earn your way out." Yama then added quietly, "Either that or force your way out."

"Force my way out?" Alpha questioned, "How do I do that- not that I'm not planning to or anything..I was just wondering." The wolf added. Yama huffed,

"Only someone with a lot of chi is powerful enough to leave Diyu on their own. Besides, the only way out of Diyu is through this office. You are not a master of chi, and I will not let you leave until your sentence is over."

"You can tell how powerful someone is?" Alpha asked quietly while Yama searched for a certain scroll. The buffalo nodded,

"I am only a judge on inner power. Many call it chi. You may be powerful physically, but you are not trained in the art of chi." Yama glanced around his desk, opening scrolls and shutting them with an angry snort.

"How will you know when my sentence is over?" Alpha asked. The large buffalo gave him an exasperated look, as if he were tired of all the questions. Alpha whined quietly, but King Yama answered.

"I've been sitting at this desk for 600 years. I know everything that happens down here." He snorted menacingly. Alpha's eye widened and he nodded quickly. Yama then smirked and added on, "I have a scroll which keeps a countdown of everyone's sentence. I have scrolls for everything. It makes my job easier." The buffalo chuckled heartily.

Alpha didn't know whether or not Yama was joking or not. He nervously laughed along, and gazed at the floor. {That probably explained all of the scrolls scattered around} The wolf thought. Yama suddenly found the scroll he was searching for. He opened it, gazed at it for several moments, and placed it facing Alpha. As Alpha looked at the scroll, Yama spoke,

"You have committed heinous crimes, Alpha. However, I have seen your soul and your innermost desires. You only want what is best for your family. You did indeed plan on abandoning Shen, who has led you down a path of darkness. As good as your final intentions in life were, I must not let your previous actions go unpunished. Your soul shall spend twenty years in Diyu. After that, you will return here and we will talk about either Heaven or rebirth."

Alpha nodded sadly. That was what was written on the scroll. It was exactly what he deserved. Yama gave Alpha a quill, which dripped with ink, "Sign the scroll, and your sentence shall begin." An idea popped into Alpha's head.

"What happens if I don't sign it?" Alpha looked at Yama curiously.

"We shall spend eternity in this office. Time flows differently in here. I may spend a hundred years waiting for you to sign your twenty-year scroll, but for the people outside," Yama gestured to the door, "it will only take five minutes, and I am a very patient buffalo." The King said, a dark smirk on his face. Alpha nodded in defeat. There was no wiggling out of this one.

He gently took the quill out of Yama's hooves and, with a deep sigh, signed his name on the bottom of the scroll.

主


	2. The Final Prize

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's time to jump right into the action! Kai will face his final challenge before exiting the Spirit Realm.
> 
> Victorvcj: I don't mind if you use AO3 :) Thanks for following along on my stories! I really appreciate it!

The spirit realm had never seemed more peaceful to Tai Lung. The soft grass tickled his feet as he walked, and a small gust of wind blew through his short grey fur. The large structures in the distance floated along in the distance. Tai smiled as he gazed around.

In front of him, Master Oogway was levitating off the ground. The tortoise was meditating.

"Greetings, Master!" Tai Lung called in a friendly tone.

The tortoise spun around slowly, "Ah, hello, Tai Lung." Master Oogway opened his eyes with a smile. The old tortoise slowly descended to the ground, delicately placing his scaly feet on the grass, "How are you today?"

"I'm good." The snow leopard said, "I didn't mean to disturb you. May I meditate with you?"

"Of course," Oogway said kindly.

"I want to levitate. Like you." Tai Lung said, with a slow flick of his tail.

"That will come with inner peace, my friend. You will learn in time, Tai Lung." Oogway said.

Tai Lung pursed his lips. He was patient- spending twenty years in an agonizing kneeling position might've helped- but how long would mastering inner peace take him? Would his ability to learn inner peace be hindered by his past?

"I'll try my best." Sighed the younger master. He sat cross-legged beside Master Oogway, placed his palms on his knees, and closed his eyes. Oogway followed suit. Soon the tortoise began to float on air, leaving the snow leopard on the ground. Tai peaked his eyes open and watched as the older master began to inhale peacefully,

"Inner peace..." Master Oogway hummed. Tai Lung took a deep breath, closed his eyes again, and tried to focus on his inner peace.

Tai Lung wasn't big on meditating, but it was a pastime he took up in the Spirit Realm. Tai Lung spent much of his time with Oogway, whether he was listening to one of the tortoise's stories from the mortal world, or meditating with him, or even sparring with him.

Sometimes the snow leopard would go and explore the great structures that floated harmlessly along in the realm. He would find other masters training or meditating. Tai Lung would make amends with them- many Kung Fu Masters heard and shunned his name. But, after explaining that that was in the past and Tai Lung has changed, they were eager to befriend him. Many wanted to spar, as his reputation as a formidable opponent was well-known in the Spirit Realm.

Now, however, it seemed too quiet. The Spirit Realm was never loud- it was always quiet for the masters who wanted to meditate- but now the dead silence was beginning to get to the leopard. The silence was downright unnerving. There was always someone training or sparring or doing something.

Something wasn't right.

Tai's small black ears twitched. He heard something. It was a scraping sound, like metal against stone. Then a thwip, as if something thin and metallic was being forcefully tossed into the air. Something like a sword. Tai Lung's fiery golden eyes flew open. "Now what?" Oogway asked, almost annoyed. A jade sword came flying towards the duo.

"Master Oogway! Watch out!" Tai Lung shouted. He leaped in front of the sword. Oogway's eyes flew open as Tai Lung caught the jade sword and, seeing the chain the sword was attached to, tugged on the chain. Tai Lung saw a large figure standing on an island in the distance.

The figure launched a second jade sword at Tai Lung. The leopard, with an angry roar, flung the first sword at the second, causing them to collide with a metallic twang. "Master Oogway, who is that?!" Tai demanded, gesturing towards the figure, who was reining in his two swords. He figured Oogway, being the literal founder of Kung Fu, would know everyone in the Spirit Realm; after all, only the most powerful warriors and Kung Fu Masters were welcomed in the Spirit Realm.

Master Oogway, with a glint in his eye, stood with his feet firmly planted on the ground. He spun his staff around, "Kai. An old friend."

"Who?" Tai asked, turning to look at his master.

"Tai Lung! Master Oogway!" The figure, Kai, roared from the island. With an irritated flick of his tail, Tai turned and looked at the figure,

"That's Master Tai Lung to you!" Tai snarled. His hackles were raised and his claws unsheathed.

"Master Tai Lung?" Kai said incredulously, "Now, now, young cat, don't be too cocky." Kai chuckled, "Oogway already denied you the Dragon Scroll, no need to run around calling yourself a master." Kai had a wicked smirk on his muzzle- he was trying to get the snow leopard riled up.

"I've put that behind me." Tai, ignoring Kai's bluff, fell into a sparring stance. Oogway glared at Kai- nobody talked to his adopted grandson like that.

"Stand down," Oogway said calmly to Tai. Tai huffed angrily at Oogway's words but backed up to stand behind Oogway. The tortoise squinted as he eyed the large bull. "Kai, our battle ended 500 years ago!"

"I'm ready for a rematch." Kai said ominously.

"It's sad that Kai still can't put his loss against me behind him." The tortoise said, laughing. Tai sent a confused glance at Oogway, who looked at him, "Kai was once my brother in arms. He turned against me." Oogway said sadly. He then glared in Kai's direction, "Now, after 500 years, he wants a rematch. Took him long enough!" The tortoise laughed suddenly.

Kai heard this, and roared angrily, "You'll regret those words!" Kai grabbed his two jade swords and leaped off of his island towards the two. The bull threw one of his jade swords, slicing a nearby stone building in half. Tai Lung's eyes widened. He had never seen a being with this much raw power in one flick of the wrist. Kai yanked on the chain, recalling the sword. He threw the second jade sword straight towards Tai Lung's chest, but Oogway intercepted it with his golden staff.

Tai leaped backward and landed near a cherry tree. He landed on all fours and watched as Oogway leaped up into the air gracefully. Kai, with the force of a waterfall, struck the island, making a huge crater. The large ox looked up at Oogway. The bull had now seen red.

The snow leopard, noticing how Kai was distracted, leaped at the ox with a resounding roar that echoed throughout the Spirit Realm. Kai turned and raised one of his broad jade swords to block a kick from the leopard. Tai, ever the vicious fighter, kept on the offensive. He delivered punch after punch after kick.

Kai backed away from the endless assault the snow leopard rained on him. He used his swords to block many of Tai's blows. Oogway landed behind Kai and used his staff to write a chi symbol in the air.

Tai, spotting it over Kai's shoulder, leaped backward. Kai, taking the leopard's retreat as a weakness, snorted, and began to charge. The tortoise behind him, however, sent the chi symbol towards the ox with a grunt. The symbol flew at Kai and collided with his back.

Kai groaned in pain and landed on his stomach. Tai swooped in, grabbing one of the ox's arms and wrenching it behind his back, while he used his other arm to grab painfully onto the scruff of his enemy's neck, immobilizing him. Kai growled in frustration as he writhed underneath the leopard. Oogway spoke up,

"You have gotten stronger, Kai."

"Five hundred years in the Spirit Realm," The ox growled, "you pick up a thing or two. How about we even up the odds a bit, hm?"

"We've already beaten you!" Tai Lung growled, digging his dark claws into the ox's fur. Tai felt his claws break the ox's skin. However, instead of blood welling up, Tai saw a thick, golden liquid in its place. He stared almost in confusion. It was thick, like tree sap, but it was as golden as treasure.

"Strange, huh?" Kai sensed the leopard's hesitation, "We spirit warriors don't bleed blood. We don't need it. So why not bleed chi instead?"

"Chi?" Oogway questioned, stepping forward, "Only someone with powerful chi can accomplish such a feat."

"Right you are, old tortoise." Kai chuckled darkly, "I have taken the chi of every master, every warrior in the Spirit Realm!" Kai bellowed triumphantly. Tai Lung let go of Kai and recoiled in horror. Was this the chi of other masters stained on his claws? Oogway gasped in shock,

"No!"

Kai stood up, smirking. One of his hooves grazed a belt hanging on his hip. On that belt lie jade pendants- one for every Kung Fu master whose soul resided in the Spirit Realm, "Oh, yes. I think this should level the playing field a little bit. Soon, I shall have both of your power. The fury of the snow leopard, and the founding power of Kung Fu itself... from the tortoise. With that power, I shall return to the mortal realm!" Kai grabbed two of the pendants and flicked his wrist towards Tai and Oogway.

A flash of jade blinded Tai and Oogway for a moment. The flash subsided, revealing two jade statues flanking Kai on both sides. Master Flying Rhino and his son, Master Thundering Rhino, stood rigid. The two statues moved their heads to lock their eyes on Oogway and Tai Lung. Thundering Rhino held a jade version of his war hammer, while his father, Flying Rhino, held a jade greatsword that was nearly as large as he was.

Tai and Oogway were shocked, to say the least. Tai Lung had heard stories of both of these masters; Oogway had known them personally. To see them here, converted into mindless jade statues, rendered the two warriors horrified.

Kai chuckled evilly as he ordered the statues: "Bring the leopard to me, first."

The two rhino statues, despite probably weighing more than the three Spirit warriors combined, leaped effortlessly into the air. Tai Lung growled and braced for their return. Oogway, not eager to be left out of the battle, lunged at Kai with a chi-filled attack. The ox raised his swords to deflect the attack, but Oogway was skilled.

As the two rhino masters came flying down towards Tai, the leopard leaped up to meet them. He raised a paw to strike Master Thundering Rhino in the head- what would have been a knockout blow- but was met with cold, hard jade. The snow leopard winced. As the three crashed back into the earth Master Flying Rhino swung his greatsword. Tai Lung ducked underneath the sword and landed a sturdy kick in Flying Rhino's chest. The larger rhino was pushed backward, and Tai faced Master Thundering Rhino.

Near the opposite side of the island, Oogway and Kai had switched roles. Kai was now on the offense, swinging his jade swords masterfully. Oogway leaped nimbly out of the way, and he used his staff to block or deflect attacks. He had no time to draw out a chi symbol to disable the large ox- Kai was a relentless fighter. Oogway swung his staff under Kai's legs, causing the ox to fall. Before Kai could recover, Oogway stepped back and hastily drew a small chi yin yang in the air, and sent it at Kai.

The ox grunted in pain as the yin yang collided with his head. He collapsed and gasped for air. Nearby, Tai Lung was started to turn the tide on his battle. He would push one rhino back, then turn and face the other. Although his paws were sore from striking the hard jade so many times, the leopard, who was fighting for his life, had no qualms going all out.

However, while Tai Lung was battling with Master Flying Rhino, Master Thundering Rhino approached from behind, his large jade war hammer in his hands. Tai Lung, who felt the statue's presence behind him, turned. He looked just in time to see a massive war hammer collide with his chest, sending him flying backward. The snow leopard landed with a pained yowl at Oogway's feet.

Tai Lung, who felt an excruciating pain in his chest, looked defeatedly up at Oogway, "I'm so sorry," He rasped. Pain and guilt filled Tai's eyes. An ugly wound tore from his torso down to his hip where the war hammer had hit him. Golden chi began to seep from the wound and stain the ground beneath him. Tai Lung felt tears prick his eyes; he had failed Oogway. He felt his body get weak as his chi began staining the ground. The tortoise, saddened and horrified, lay his claws gently on Tai's shoulder reassuringly. The statues stood rigid in their places.

Kai rose to his feet, recalling the two jade rhinos, who became tiny jade pendants. Kai clipped them back onto his belt. Oogway's eyes widened. He knelt to Tai and whispered,

"You must warn the Dragon Warrior." He said. Pink peach petals began to flurry around Tai Lung's body. Kai began to approach them ominously, his jade swords gleaming in the light. Tai Lung felt the wound stitch itself together as the petals and the wind began to pick up. Oogway was healing him with his chi.

"Wait? What? No!" Tai Lung began to realize what was happening, "You can't face him alone!"

"Warn them of what is coming, Tai." Oogway said, determined. Kai, figuring out what Oogway was doing, suddenly charged. His hooves glowed a dark green. The ox lunged at Tai, eager to steal his chi. Tai's paws flew up to his head to protect himself. He felt the ox's breath on his neck. Kai leaped towards the wall of petals and thrust his hooves through.

However, in a burst of pink petals, Tai Lung was gone. Oogway had sent him back to the mortal realm. The pink petals fell to the ground- revealing that Kai's hooves were grasping harmlessly at the air. The ox was stunned for a moment. If only for a moment, all was quiet as the reality of what the tortoise had done set in.

Tai Lung was gone. Oogway panted from the effort. Healing someone was easy for him. The wound on Tai Lung's chest would be nothing but a scar now. However, sending someone from the Spirit Realm to the mortal world took a great amount of power and chi. It nearly drained the tortoise.

Kai straightened, glaring hatefully at Oogway, "His chi was supposed to be mine." He growled. His hooves grabbed his jade swords.

Oogway frowned sadly, "When will you learn that the more you take, the less you have?"

With a hate-filled bellow, Kai lunged at Oogway. The tortoise leaped gracefully in the air. Kai, not allowing Oogway to get away, followed. He spied two large boulders on either side of him. He anchored both of his jade swords in the boulders and hauled them by his side.

Up higher in the air, Oogway spun his golden staff. He had used a lot of chi to send Tai Lung back to the mortal realm, but Oogway was determined to do what he could to delay Kai's rampage. He spun a large yin yang. It was nearly ten times as large as Kai was. Kai, as powerful as he was, knew he wouldn't survive passing through the yin yang. The ox flung his two large boulders towards the golden chi symbol.

Oogway, all his strength spent, braced for the impact. The two boulders collided with the yin yang, causing a massive explosion of light and chi. Oogway and Kai were blown backward. All of the nearby structures, whether they were stone, wood, or metal, crumbled to pieces. Oogway winced as he watched the structures be reduced to pebbles and splinters.

Kai recalled his jade swords, only to fling them forwards to Oogway. The chains wrapped around the tortoise's shell, but Oogway didn't fight it. His strength was sapped, and he felt Kai pull him towards his waiting hooves.

"You may have sent away the leopard, but once I have your chi, I will still be able to return to the mortal world."

"It was not my destiny, nor Tai Lung's, to stop you," Oogway said. The tortoise felt the cold jade beginning to surround and crawl up his body. The grandmaster shuddered at the cold but didn't fight. Oogway spoke one last time, "I have already set another on that path." Oogway closed his eyes, almost as if he were content. The jade encapsulated Oogway's head, sealing the tortoise's fate. Kai compressed the jade statue into a tiny pendant.

The overwhelming power that coursed through Kai caused him to shudder and sigh. Despite the leopard getting away, Kai still had enough power to return now. He stared at the pendant of his rival, which sat in his hooves harmlessly. Instead of clipping Oogway's chi to his belt like he had all the rest, the ox wrapped the pendant around his neck. When the pendant was secure, Kai held the jade trinket in his hooves. He smirked and whispered ominously,

"Then I will find him, and steal his chi as well."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Authors Note: Kai has defeated the Great Grandmaster Oogway! But, more importantly, Tai Lung has been returned to the mortal realm to warn Po about Kai! How will everyone react to the snow leopard's return? Be sure to leave a kudos if you haven't already, and be sure to leave a comment! I try to reply to all the comments I get and positive feedback is my best motivation.


	3. A Second Return

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tai Lung returns to the Mortal Realm to warn of Kai's coming, but how will everyone react?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I forgot to mention in the past two chapters, but I have a schedule for releasing chapters. If everything goes right, I should have a chapter out every Saturday; as opposed to just releasing one whenever I bother to finish a chapter, which could take weeks. Hopefully, this schedule will keep me on time and won't keep you guys waiting as long as you have for the last two stories.

Down in the town square of the Valley of Peace, the wind was beautifully blowing. The fountain water was sparkling- the wishing coins at the bottom probably helped- and the sun was shining. Clouds dotted the sky, giving some much-needed shade in the hot summer's day.

Klara loved visiting the town square. This was her third visit to the square this month. The flower petals on the trees were starting to fall; trying to catch each blossom as it fell was a perfect game for an eight-year-old. Klara's mother, Elena, had come down from the Jade Palace to go shopping for the week's meals. Being the head chef of the Jade Palace was a task in itself.

"Klara, darling," Elena said as she gazed at her list of ingredients, "you know to-"

"Stay in the town square, don't wander off and don't talk to strangers. I know, Mom. There's not even anybody in the square today." The young wapiti fawn said, looking around. It was still early. In a few hours, the sun would reach its peak and the square would be bustling, but Elena liked to leave for the village early. Nobody was in the square. Klara huffed, the boredom already overcoming her. This was as routine as the punches and kicks that Master Shifu taught her.

Every morning, after breakfast, Klara would spend hours training with Master Po, Master Leo Lung, and Master Shifu. They would teach her how to fall into a correct stance, how to punch, kick, jump, and roll and everything to become a Kung Fu warrior. They didn't let her use any of the training equipment, which bummed the fawn out. The Dark Room and the Jade Tortoise of Wisdom didn't look that bad, she had argued. But, after Master Leo and Master Po shared a knowing glance, they had simply decided to introduce her to a simplified, one-man, no-weapons version of a wooden soldier, which kept Klara busy until that evening.

By the time the afternoon would roll around, Klara would be dismissed from training. She would help her mother prepare that night's dinner or watch her father, Milu, treat any patients that he had.

It was a rather fun life.

Elena had just disappeared around the corner to visit the produce market. Klara was watching some of the wishing coins in the bottom of the fountain twinkle when the water began to suddenly ripple. The wind was picking up. The leaves on the trees began to fly as Klara held her hooves up to shield her face. Nothing like this had ever happened on a trip to the village. Was there going to be a bad storm today? The fawn looked up, searching for storm clouds, but the sky was as blue as a sapphire.

Pretty pink petals began flurrying in a tight circle right in front of Klara. The fawn squeaked in fear and ran. She ducked behind a stone bench and watched as the wind picks up faster and faster. The branches on the trees began to bend and groan. Water began to slosh out of the fountain. Pebbles began whizzing past. One sharp ended stone nearly cut Klara's ear off, and she cried out, panicked, "Momma!"

Suddenly, almost as fast as the wind picked up, it stopped. With a sudden splash, something big landed in the fountain. The flower petals peacefully fell and began floating on the water or landing softly on the stone path. Klara hid underneath the bench. Hurried footsteps sounded behind her, and Elena suddenly stopped in front of her daughter. Her mother had seen the final seconds of the spectacle. She saw the flurry of petals and the crash in the fountain.

A large, muscular, grey spotted cat lifted its head weakly out of the fountain. It laid its head on the stone rim, its eyes closed as if it were tired beyond belief. Its large arms were draped over the rim, exhausted. Elena pulled Klara from underneath the bench and shielded the fawn behind her. Klara peaked out from around her mother's waist, "Who is that, Mom?" She had never seen anything like this!

"I..I don't know." Elena shook her head.

The three animals stayed like this for several minutes. The cat was resting, but Elena and her daughter did not know what to make of this stranger. Tired of waiting, Elena took a cautious, quiet step forward.

The small black ears on the cat's head perked up and swiveled in Elena and Klara's direction. The grey cat slowly opened its eyes. They were a fiery golden. They gazed at Elena and Klara. Klara was almost mesmerized by the color of the cat's eyes. With a groan, the cat pulled itself from the fountain and to its feet. He was wearing waterlogged purple pants and a brown belt. What caught Klara's eyes, however, was the long, diagonal scar that started at his hip and ran up his chest. The fawn shuddered at what- or who- could've caused such an injury.

The cat wobbled and stumbled a bit before catching his balance. He looked around the town square, confused, before stumbling and falling onto a bench. He pulled himself up and sat down on the bench, holding his head in his large paws. Elena and Klara stood stalk still. After several more moments, the cat lifted his head. His golden eyes bore into Klara and Elena's.

"Where am I?" He rasped. His fur looked disheveled and he was panting as if he had just completed a long journey or fought a hard battle. Klara spoke up, her voice trembling,

"Th-The town s-square, s-sir." She whimpered, hiding behind her mother's legs, with only one side of her face visible. The cat, who looked like a leopard of sorts, narrowed his eyes in confusion. He flicked his tail angrily,

"I need to get to the Jade Palace! How far away is that?" He demanded.

Elena, who was growing suspicious of this strange cat that fell out of the sky in a flurry of petals, spoke, "It is right behind you. We live there. Who are you?"

The leopard turned and looked up the stairs. Indeed, standing exactly where it had nearly seven years ago when he saw it last, was the Jade Palace. He grinned. He turned and looked at the two deer in front of him, "There is no time to explain. I need to see the Dragon Warrior! What was his name?" The leopard thought, "Po! That's it!"

"I can take you." Klara said, shyly, "I am training to be a-"

"I can make it on my own." The cat said curtly. He turned and stumbled to the steps. He seemed distracted, though, as if he were thinking about something else.

Klara leaped out from behind her mother's back and caught up to the stranger. Elena- forgetting about the ingredients she needed- followed behind them, a protective look in her eyes. Something was off about this stranger, and she didn't want Klara alone with him.

"So what's your name?" Klara asked the leopard as he climbed the steps.

"If I told you, you'd be scared." The leopard growled, clearly not in the mood for talking with children. Elena, who was several steps behind, quickly caught up and put herself between the leopard and Klara,

"If you have such a reputation then get away from my daughter, цветок-лепесток кота." The mother said. The leopard, who probably did not know a lick of Russian, cocked an eyebrow and shook his head. He stared ahead stubbornly.

Klara giggled quietly, "Flower-petal cat." It was rather fitting, considering the leopard had come to the Valley in a flurry of pretty pink peach petals.

The rest of the journey was made in silence. The leopard didn't say anything, and Elena didn't ask any questions. Klara, in all honesty, wanted to bombard the cat with questions; where did he come from, why did he need to talk to the Dragon Warrior, and why did he think she would be scared? She was the daughter of two Russian wapitis! Nothing could scare her!

But the one question Klara wanted to ask the most was how did he get that scar on his chest. It intrigued her. Master Shifu, the head of the Palace, had no scars to show for his effort other than carrying that walking staff around. Master Leo Lung had a small patch of dark golden fur on his stomach, which he had said was from a knife wound, but it was subtle and blended well with his regular golden fur. Even Master Po, the Dragon Warrior himself, had no scars to mar his fur.

When the three reached the Palace courtyard, the leopard stopped in his tracks. He gazed at the stone walkways, the green bushes, and the Japanese Cherry trees. It was beautiful.

"They never had this when I was here." He said quietly. He looked at the Palace itself. It looked like all the buildings had changed. The Main building was still recognizable, but he couldn't tell what the other buildings were. The Sacred Hall of Warriors was completely missing; the dorms were moved- or they added another floor onto it. And where was the Training Hall?

Klara looked up at the leopard. When he was here? She certainly didn't recognize him. Maybe he lived at the Jade Palace before Klara and her family moved in. If that was the case, why hadn't Master Shifu said anything about him?

"I think I know where Master Po and the others are," Klara said quietly, scampering off towards the Training Hall, "follow me." She said. The leopard looked around and, catching the suspicious glare from Elena, decided to follow Klara. Elena, knowing that Klara was now within earshot of the rest of the Masters of the Palace, turned to go into the Main Building to find Milu, her husband and also the Palace's head doctor, to inform him of the Palace's new visitor. Maybe he would have some clue as to who this cat was.

The leopard caught up with Klara. As the two approached the Training Hall, shouts could be heard from within. Training had begun. Klara hauled open the doors and slipped inside quietly. The leopard waited outside. In the Hall, Klara saw that the Furious Five, Master Po, and Master Shifu were training. Well, Master Shifu wasn't training more so directing and critiquing.

"Umm, guys." Klara said nervously, "Someone is here to see the Dragon Warrior."

"Another fan?" Master Po asked excitedly, in the middle of a spar with Master Tigress while navigating the Field of Fiery Death. The panda smiled; he loved meeting new fans of his. Tigress growled for him to focus.

"Po always has fans who want to visit, but we never get any fans." Mantis commented from inside The Dark Room. He was soon sent flying out as Master Viper, whom he was sparring with, smacked him with her tail.

"If it's not important, send them away, Klara. You need to start your training for the day." Master Shifu instructed.

"It is of the utmost importance." The leopard proclaimed as he entered the room. He stood next to Klara but didn't even look at her.

Everything seemed to grind to a fast halt as the Masters saw who the leopard was. Master Shifu dropped his staff in surprise- in fact, he almost fainted at the sight of his near-forgotten apprentice. Po's jaw dropped as he pointed a shaky finger at the newcomer, and the Furious Five were all stunned.

"Why is everything so quiet?" Master Viper asked, slithering out of the Dark Room. She caught sight of the leopard and recoiled with a gasp, "Tai Lung!"

At the sound of the leopard's name, Klara suddenly realized who this was. She had only heard his name in stories. Stories of how he had beat the Furious Five, Master Shifu, and Master Leo Lung- his own adopted brother- only to be beaten and sent to the Spirit Realm by the Dragon Warrior after a long, tiring battle. Her eyes widened and she backed away from him. Suddenly snapping back to reality, Po narrowed his eyes, "Get him!" the panda shouted, running towards the leopard.

"Wait! No! I-" Tai Lung was cut off as Tigress suddenly collided with him, knocking him to the ground. Viper coiled around one of his burly arms, pinning it to the ground. Mantis and Monkey held down the other arm while Klara watched in awe.

Master Shifu, still in shock, grabbed his staff and approached Tai Lung, "What are you doing here?! I thought Po sent you to the Spirit Realm! How are you alive?" His voice was trembling- whether it was from fear, joy, or confusion Klara did not know.

"Yeah, I did send him to the Spirit Realm! I used the Wuxi Finger hold on him!" Po explained, flexing his pinky finger in a demonstration.

"No, you need to listen! Kai is coming!" Tai Lung said. He tried pulling his arms free, but that only caused Mantis, Monkey, and Viper to hold him even harder.

"Who is Kai?" Tigress growled, her claws unsheathed. Shifu tapped his chin as he thought,

"Kai...Kai...Kai!" He mumbled, "Nope. Never heard of him."

Tai Lung struggled against the Five, but they didn't relent. The leopard groaned in frustration, "I battled him in the Spirit Realm! He's coming to steal your chi!"

"Then what are you doing here?" Shifu questioned, "And how do we know you still aren't evil and just tricking us to get the Dragon Scroll?"

"Yeah!" Po injected, "I sent you to the Spirit Realm once, I can d-"

"I was with Oogway!" Tai Lung said loudly, glaring at the Jade Palace masters.

The warriors gathered around him suddenly relaxed, as if the word 'Oogway' was a pacifier. Tai Lung pushed off Monkey and Mantis and used his now free arm to shove Viper off. The leopard stood. The sound of the Training Hall doors being hauled open didn't distract anyone- except young Klara. The fawn turned and saw Master Leo Lung enter the hall,

"Hey, guys! I reorganized the Scrolls of..." Leo caught sight of Tai Lung, "Kung...Fu..." The lion's jaw dropped, "T-Tai? Wha-What are you d-doing here?" He asked, breathless. The lion's eyes were wide and his arms fell limply to his sides. He stared in shock at the snow leopard. Tai slowly turned and spoke,

"I know it seems like a lot," The leopard held his paws out, showing he meant no harm, "But I returned to b-" Tai was suddenly cut off as Master Leo rushed towards him. Leo wrapped his arms around Tai's neck, embracing him in a great hug. Leo held on tightly, believing that if he ever let Tai go, Leo would never see him again.

Tai stiffened for a moment. Then, he relaxed and returned the embrace. The shock in the room was palpable as the snow leopard embraced the lion. Nobody, not even Shifu, knew that Tai Lung was capable of hugging someone. The two brothers stood like that for several quiet, comfortable moments.

"You're back," Leo said quietly as if he almost couldn't believe it. He gently let go of Tai and gazed happily at him, "it's you. You're home." Leo's eyes welled up, and he brushed away his tears. He would usually never show emotions in front of the younger masters, but this was a special occasion.

"I am, brother. But I come with a dire warning." He said slowly, seriously. He turned and looked at all of the Masters, "Kai is coming, and he wants to steal our chi."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> цветок-лепесток кота - Flower-petal cat
> 
> Authors Note: Tai Lung has returned! Leo Lung is more than happy to see his brother again, but what about everyone else? Will they heed his warning, or will it be another trip to the Spirit Realm for Tai? Be sure to leave a kudos! If you want to answer the question, drop an idea, or leave constructive criticism/positive feedback, then leave a review! I love positive feedback, and it is my best motivation!


	4. The Scroll of Oogway

The tension in the room was thick as Tai Lung's words settled in. His warning sunk in as the Jade Palace Masters shared confused glances. Shifu shook his head, baffled,

"So, you come all this way, tell us you aren't evil, just to..warn us? About this Kai?" He asked. Tai Lung nodded. Shifu took several deep breaths. Seeing Tai Lung alive and, well, healthy was alarming. He hadn't thought about the leopard in years. And here he was, back in his life. "Why?" Shifu asked.

"Well," The leopard shrugged slightly, "Master Oogway told me too. I couldn't disobey him with Kai breathing down my neck."

"Pretty sure that's the first time he's ever listened to Oogway," Mantis said, just loud enough for Tai Lung to hear. Monkey and Crane giggled. The leopard glared at him. Mantis chuckled, "What? I thought it was funny!"

"You have to believe me! This is no joking matter." Tai said, "We must get ready to face Kai!"

"Who is Kai?" Leo asked, "I've never heard of him." The rest of the Masters quietly agreed.

Tai thought for a moment, "Oogway did not say very much, other than that they were brothers... or something. It was all like a blur.." The leopard rubbed his head as he tried to remember. However, despite spending years in the Spirit Realm, it all began to fade the longer he spent in the Mortal Realm.

"I didn't know Master Oogway had a brother," Shifu said quietly, "he never said anything about family."

"No, not biological brother!" Tai said, quickly, "He was an ox. He was...strong. Fast." The leopard almost seemed discouraged as he replayed the battle against Kai in his mind.

"Then we'll stop him!" Po said, almost eagerly.

"No," Tai said, turning to the Dragon Warrior, "He isn't like anyone you've ever faced."

"How do you know what we've faced?" Tigress challenged with a flick of her tail.

Tai cleared his throat, "Well, um.." He hesitated before speaking, "in the Spirit Realm, we can see into the Mortal Realm in a reflection pool. Not like I've been watching you or anything." He added quickly.

"So you've been spying on us?" Po said, confused, "How long have you been doing that?"

"Only since Leo returned from the Spirit Realm. And I've only been watching him! Just to make sure he was ok." Tai held up his paws innocently, "I saw what happened in Gongmen Tower." He looked sadly at Leo, "I saw the final battle against Shen."

Leo placed his paw unconsciously on his stomach, exactly where Shen had stabbed him with one of his knives. The lion closed his eyes and sighed, "It's all behind us now."

Crane spoke up, "So..if Kai is more powerful than Shen, what makes him so strong?"

"He will use chi against you. I mean, other masters chi. Once he takes your chi, he turns you into a jade statue."

The warriors around him gasped. Shifu narrowed his eyes, determined, "Leo Lung, you said that you were in the Scroll Archives. Did you find anything about Kai? Or chi stealing?"

Leo Lung thought for a moment. The silence began to grow as the lion thought. Tai Lung began to grow hopeless until the lion suddenly spoke up, "Wait! Yes. There is one scroll. It's in a green case, and I think Master Oogway himself wrote it. I've never opened it, but maybe it will say something."

Then, everyone was following the lion to the Scroll Archives. They entered, and Tai looked around. It looked different from how he remembered it.

He remembered thousands upon thousands of scrolls that were stuffed and crammed messily into shelves that were three times as tall as he was. He could spend hours searching for the scroll he needed, only for it to turn up right where he started looking.

Now, there were only a thousand or so scrolls. There were different compartments which housed different scrolls: one compartment for battle strategies, another compartment for Chinese weapons, another for foreign weapons, etc. {Leo is quite the neat freak,} Tai thought to himself, impressed, {Everything is so proper.} The leopard chuckled at the lion's organization skills. Tigress, who was next to him, took a sideways glance at him and stepped quietly to the side. Despite his warning, she still had no reason to trust him.

Leo marched to the back of the Archives. There was a single glass box holding two scroll cases. One case was a colorful red and yellow, the other case was a dark green. In the center of the green case was a bright, almost glowing Yin Yang. Leo Lung, using a key he produced from a necklace around his neck, unlocked the glass case, and opened the box.

"Master Oogway's two most famous scrolls..." Po said quietly, in awe. His eyes grew wide.

"The Dragon Scroll," Leo nodded to the red and yellow scroll case. The lion gently grabbed the green case, "and Master Oogway's five-hundred-year-old scroll. It is the only scroll I haven't seen the inside of. I've never opened it." The lion said quietly. Leo closed and locked the glass box and handed the green case to Master Shifu.

The red panda, after thanking Leo, opened the case and slid the scroll out. Everybody gathered around him to see. When Tai Lung moved to stand in between Crane and Viper, the two awkwardly shuffled away to the other sides of the huddle.

Shifu opened the scroll slowly, "All of our answers shall be found within." The red panda then began reading it hastily, "What?!" He exclaimed as his eyes flew across the page. Everyone tried to push and huddle closer to see. Was it a secret to defeating Kai? Did a super-secret chi technique exist only in this scroll? Shifu suddenly exclaimed, "It's blank!" He turned the scroll upside down, flipped it, opened, and closed it again.

The tension suddenly became disappointment as everyone stared in disbelief. "Not again! It's just like the Dragon Scroll!" Shifu exclaimed. Tai Lung felt several pairs of eyes on him. Feeling his fur heat up, he sighed, "Surely Master Oogway wouldn't pull the same trick twice." He mumbled.

"Oh, wait, here it is. Sorry." Shifu said, unraveling the scroll some more. Tai rolled his eyes. Everyone gathered around again as Shifu began to read.

"It is written in Oogway's hand." He said. The warriors behind him stared in awe. Klara, who had never known Oogway, still listened in as Master Shifu read, "Long ago, I had a brother..in arms.

(Everything in **bold** will be Oogway's words, everything in _italics_ is Oogway's memory)

**Long ago, I had a brother in arms. I was an ambitious young warrior, leading a great army.**

_The golden sun was shining brightly upon the Chinese army. The sound of uniformed, heavy footsteps resonated throughout the area. The soldiers of the army carried spears that gleamed and reached towards the skies. The numbers of the army were great. The army consisted of many soldiers, so many that they stretched into the fog in the distance._

**Fighting by my side was Kai, my closest friend.**

_And there, standing on a ridge that overlooked the army, was Master Oogway- or, well, General Oogway himself. Instead of the silky green robe that he wore in his later years, General Oogway wore metal armor on his chest and head. He carried a long battle-ax, wielding it with all the experience of a general. Next to him, carrying a double-ended spear, was a large bull._

_He was near the exact opposite of Oogway. Where Oogway was slim, Kai was bulky. Kai had large horns atop his head. He had metal and leather armor covering his lower body. He had a dark mane on his neck and gleaming green eyes._

"That's him!" Tai said suddenly, "That's Kai." He pointed a large finger at Kai. Everybody gathered to get a closer look at the bull. Master Shifu studied Kai for a moment, then continued reading,

**One day we were ambushed.**

_Oogway, Kai, and a small division of soldiers were scouting out a small enclosed valley, surrounded by trees and ridges on both sides. "Something is not right. We shouldn't be here." Kai said quietly, his eyes flicking to the ridges above him._

_Almost as soon as the bull spoke, shadows began forming along the ridge. Oogway stiffened and grabbed his battle-ax. "Fall into formation!" Kai bellowed, "Stand your ground!" He ordered._

_Oogway and Kai's division was outnumbered as the bandits surrounded them. Each of the bandits wielded a bow and a quiver of arrows, a large sword, and a small combat knife._

_The division of soldiers fell into an outward-facing circle, their spears pointed to the bandits. Oogway felt a twinge of fear and narrowed his eyes in determination. The bandits surged forward, their swords shining in the light._

**I was terribly wounded.**

_The fight lasted hours. The bandit's army never seemed to end. They fired arrows, swung their swords, and slashed their knives. Kai and Oogway fought valiantly, but their numbers began dwindling. Oogway swung his battle-ax and did everything he could to keep the enemies at bay._

_Soon, it was just Kai and Oogway fighting. The bandits swarmed and arrows whizzed by. Oogway felt a sudden pain in his shell. He gasped in pain as a knife was pushed into his shell._

_Oogway twirled his battle-ax and slashed the enemy behind him, but the knife remained lodged in his shell. Other bandits leaped at this opportunity. They lunged for the knife, eager to be the one to crack the tortoise's shell. But Oogway spun and swung his ax; he knew that if any of the bandits cracked his shell, it would be the end for him._

_However, Oogway was so busy fending off many of the bandits, he didn't notice a small weasel creep up behind him. The weasel crawled up his back and grabbed the handle of the knife. The weasel pushed the knife deeper into Oogway's shell, causing the general to stop and collapse in pain. Cracks formed on the tortoise's shell around the knife. Oogway groaned and writhed in pain._

_Kai, seeing this, bellowed in anger and charged. He used his horns to drive the bandits away and swung his double-ended spear menacingly. When all of the bandits were finally either dead or driven off, Kai turned to Oogway._

_"Oogway!" Kai shouted, "Are you alright?" He knelt to Oogway, seeing the knife buried in his shell. The tortoise coughed, spatters of blood landing on the ground in front of him. Kai shook his head, a look of worry crossing his face._

_"M-My sh-shell.." Oogway coughed. Kai moved a hoof over Oogway's shell, stopping at the knife. He whispered,_

_"Hold on, brother," He grabbed the knife and removed it as smoothly as he could. Oogway gasped and winced in pain, his claws digging into the dirt underneath him. Kai winced with him. When the knife was cast onto the ground, the bull removed his cape and wrapped it tightly around Oogway's shell, hoping to stop the bleeding._

_"We need to get you help." Kai gently picked up Oogway and carried him close to his chest. He stepped around the fallen soldiers and carried his brother to the nearest village he could find._

**Kai carried me for days, searching for anyone who could help. Until we found a village, high up the mountains, an ancient place of healing, full of pandas.**

_The wind bit Kai's fur as he trudged through the snow. He had been walking for nearly four days at this point. His legs ached and the wind nipped at his face. Kai looked down at Oogway. He had been sleeping for several days and hadn't woken up._

_His scaly skin was hot to the touch, which caused Kai to worry. Reptiles like him shouldn't be able to heat up in the cold like this, right? Did Oogway have an infection? He wrapped his cape around Oogway tighter and tucked the tortoise's head into his torso. "It'll be ok," Kai whispered as he scanned the horizon._

_As he scaled a cliff, the fog lifted and he saw a village. Hope surged in Kai's chest. He could get help here! He stumbled into the village, "Please, someone help me! My brother has fallen in battle, please heal him!"_

_A group of round, black and white pandas gathered in front of him, curious._

"Pandas?!" Everyone gathered around the scroll, almost as if they had read it wrong. Po was the most excited, pushing and shoving through the huddle to see.

**Yes, pandas. Pandas who used the power of chi to heal me.**

_After Kai explained everything, the pandas gently lay Oogway on his side. Kai watched from a distance as the pandas used a few hand motions and their hands suddenly starting glowing! Glowing gold circles surrounded the tortoise._

_The gold aura surrounded Oogway and, for the first time in nearly five days, he awoke. Kai gasped quietly as he watched the deep wound on his shell heal. The redness and swelling died down, and Oogway looked around him at the pandas in awe. Neither he nor Kai had seen anything like it!_

**They taught me how to give chi.**

_The next day, Oogway wore a light gold tunic that covered the scar on his shell. Although the wound was healed, he did not want anyone, not even Kai, to see his scar. The pandas, when they believed the tortoise was better, invited him to learn their way of life._

_That morning, the pandas lined up in front of a dead peach tree. Oogway watched as the pandas lifted their arms mystically. He copied to the best of his ability. His breathing calmed. The pandas soon had a golden aura around them, similar to when they were healing Oogway. Then, as he concentrated, Oogway had a golden aura flowing from his claws! It wasn't as radiant or bright as the pandas, but he felt the joy bubble in him as he watched the tree glow golden and petals materialize on the branches._

**But Kai wanted this power for himself.**

_Kai watched silently as Oogway learned chi with the pandas. He had been practicing chi as well. The pandas had taught him, too. His hooves could glow golden as well. He could make flowers blossom and grass grow. But it wasn't really... satisfying. He wanted more. And as the days went on, this feeling only grew. He longed for more. The pandas could only teach him so much._

_Soon, Kai learned that he wanted to take it. He tested it on plants first. Where the golden, giving chi was a brilliant golden, the chi that Kai used to take the plants was jade green, almost sickly in color. The flower he had tested his theory on wilted, turned brown, and soon died._

**He saw that what could be given, could also be taken.**

_Kai saw a group of pandas talking and laughing in the distance. He had already tested his power on multiple flowers and a few trees. They all had the same result. Kai's chi would grow stronger, and the trees and flowers would wilt and die. But Kai had never tried this power on any people. He took a deep breath and approached him. He felt adrenaline rush into his veins, like the tense moments before a battle._

_But the pandas weren't his enemy, right? They were innocent civilians. Kai felt his training and his instincts warn against this. There weren't many rules when it came to war, but one of the few universally recognized rules was to never attack a peaceful, neutral village._

_But was Kai really attacking, though? He was only testing out a theory. He felt the two sides of him clash as he approached a trio of pandas. They were unarmed and talking peacefully, but Kai took a deep breath. The pandas spotted him and waved. {This won't hurt, hopefully,} The ox thought to himself._

_The pandas noticed Kai's strange demeanor. The hungry look in his eyes, like a feral predator about to pounce. Kai raised his hooves as they glowed a dark green. One of the pandas realized what he was doing and shook his head in dread, while the other two stood shocked._

_Kai's hooves glowed a dark green, and he approached the closest panda._

_Oogway, who noticed Kai from a distance. His eyes widened in horror as Kai reached for the panda and began sapping his chi. The panda moaned in pain and Kai watched, intrigued, as the panda turned into a tiny green pendant."No.." The tortoise whispered in horror as Kai held the pendant close to his chest._

_"It worked!"_

_**I had to stop him.** _

__"How dare you?!" Oogway shouted in anger._ _

__Kai's head shot up just in time to see Oogway land a flying kick right in his face. Kai flew backward and landed on a platform. He grabbed his double-ended spear and swung it around. He snorted,_ _

__"Oogway. Why do you attack me so? Surely you have not grown soft?" Kai asked, taking a step forward._ _

__"You have betrayed me. You have betrayed the pandas."_ _

__"I am doing what is best for us. Best for our army. Surely you have not forgotten about that? Have these pandas filled your head with nonsense?"_ _

__"They have filled my head with exactly what I need. The realization that this is the life I want to lead. A peaceful life."_ _

__"A soft life." Kai snarled._ _

__"A life of fulfillment." Oogway corrected. With an enraged battle cry, the ox leaped at Oogway._ _

__Oogway, wielding his battle-ax, charged at Kai. The two leaped into the air and met with a groundbreaking crash._ _

_**Our battle shook the Earth.** _

__Nearly two days had passed, yet the two warriors had not yielded. Kai fought viciously, and Oogway fought for his life. The tide had turned multiple times; at one point Oogway had Kai on the retreat, and just a few minutes later Kai would have Oogway on the defense. They used their bare hands and hooves and weapons._ _

__The pandas had evacuated as the two generals battled throughout the mountains. Oogway was mindful of the panda village- he gracefully leaped around the homes and farms- but Kai wasn't. He charged through buildings, threw benches, and smashed furniture to use as weapons._ _

__As the sun began to set after a long day of fighting with no breaks or rests, Kai used his double-ended spear to pin Oogway on his back against a cliff edge. Using one hoof to keep Oogway down, Kai grabbed a serrated knife he had kept on his belt for the last few days. He pushed the knife towards Oogway's throat, and Oogway leaned back, pushing against Kai's weapons._ _

__The knife brushed against Oogway's throat, and Kai growled, "We were unstoppable, Oogway. We have conquered everything in our path. We can still do that! Please!" He pressed the knife harder. A pained whimper came from Oogway as a sliver of red was seen under the knife. Oogway grabbed one of Kai's hooves in his claw and looked sadly at the ox._ _

__"Kai, I'm sorry, old friend."_ _

__The bull looked confused for a moment. He turned his gaze to see Oogway tightly gripping his hoof._ _

__Oogway flexed his pinky._ _

_**I was forced to banish Kai to the Spirit Realm. Should Kai ever return to the mortal realm, he can only be stopped by a master of chi.** _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys liked it! Be sure to leave a kudos, a bookmark, and a review! Positive feedback is my best motivation!


	5. A Candle Flame

After everyone read the Scroll of Oogway, everyone looked to Master Shifu for instruction. However, he slowly closed the scroll and put it back into the case. Everyone was silent. After several minutes of thinking, Tai Lung spoke up,

"Shifu, are you a master of chi?"

He turned to the snow leopard and opened and closed his mouth slowly as he thought over his next words, "I..I am not. Master Oogway has only taught me the basics before he ascended." He said, his tone expressing how defeated he already felt.

"Is anybody here a master of chi?" Tai turned and looked at everyone around him. When they all avoided his gaze, he bristled, "I came here to warn you but none of you are prepared!" He clenched his fists and lashed his tail, then muttered under his breath, "If Oogway hadn't sent me back we could've stopped him."

"If Master Oogway couldn't stop him, then how could you?" Po suddenly challenged. Tai looked up at him, and Po continued, "You're not a master of chi, none of us are! I guess we just have to find some other way to defeat him!" He said, exasperated.

Tai growled and rolled his eyes, "Oh yeah, I'm sure Oogway wrote something along the lines of 'Oh I almost forgot, the power of friendship is just as effective at beating Kai as being a master of chi.'" The sarcasm was practically dripping from the snow leopards tongue.

"Hey, calm down," Leo Lung said, raising his paws a little, "We can figure something out."

"I'm sure you'll be able to teach the panda how to become a master of chi before Kai gets here," Tai said, upset.

"As Master Leo said, we can do it!" Klara piped up. Tai turned and looked at her. He studied the fawn for a moment, then spoke,

"It would probably be best if you get the child out of here. All of you need to get out of here. Kai wants to steal our chi, and it's pretty obvious we need to buy as much time as we can."

Klara frowned and held her hooves to her chest self-consciously. She knew it wasn't her fault Kai was coming, but she didn't want to feel like a burden on the older warriors. Shifu spoke up,

"Alright. Everyone meet me in the conference room in ten minutes. I'm going to meditate on this. This.." The red panda took a long, solemn glance at Tai Lung, "this is a lot to take in. Dismissed." Shifu said. He walked towards the doors of the Scroll Archive.

As the Five exchanged nervous glances, Tigress went off to her room to meditate, Leo and Tai began talking, and Po walked outside, his head whirling.

In one morning, Tai Lung had returned from the dead, a new opponent was on the rise, and the only way to beat him was to master something he had never even heard of? How in China was he supposed to do that?! Well, he had learned Kung Fu in the span of a few days, but that was different! Kung Fu was physical- using his arms and legs to defeat opponents. How does someone use chi? With their hands? With their mind?

As Po walked, he waved his hands around experimentally, but nothing happened. The panda tried waving his hands in different shapes: triangles, squares, circles, but there was no radiant golden aura or glowing light. Just his brown pads. Po groaned in frustration. He sighed and continued walking.

Po frowned as he saw where his feet had led him. He was at the Sacred Peach Tree. The morning light caught all of the pink petals and brown bark, making the tree look majestic and powerful. Po felt the exact opposite. The weight of all of this was beginning to sink in. He didn't know what to do. He wasn't a master of chi. How was he supposed to beat Kai when even Oogway and Tai Lung themselves couldn't beat him?

He sat down near the base of the tree. Po slumped forward and put his head in his hands with a groan, "Oogway, why did you have to go and make enemies with this dude? I'm not a master of chi! I can't even make my paws all glowy like the pandas in that scroll!" He said to nothing in particular.

"I can teach you what I can." A sudden voice said, behind Po.

The panda gasped and turned around. Shifu stood at the top of the stairs. He was gently holding his wooden staff in his paws, and he spoke, "I don't know much about chi, and I am certainly no master, but I will do what I can to help you along your path."

"Please," Po said, advancing towards him, "I need to become of master of this thing as soon as possible!"

"Po, chi isn't like Kung Fu. I can't use food to motivate you. Mastery of chi requires mastery of self. Master Oogway sat in a cave for thirty years asking himself the same question: who am I?" Shifu elaborated.

"I don't have thirty years!" Po said, "I have until Kai gets here!" He exclaimed.

Shifu nodded, "I know." He said sadly. The red panda walked over to a brown, wilted plant. He held his hands together at his stomach and, with a sigh, pushed his hands into a wide circle. A golden aura surrounded his hands softly. Po gasped and leaned in. Shifu waved his hands gracefully around him before circling the withered flower. The flower regained its color, straightened out, and bloomed before Po's very eyes.

"Wow," He sighed in awe. Shifu brought his hands back to his sides,

"When you use chi, you use energy. Making a flower bloom doesn't exhaust me, thank goodness. But anything else is tiring. Attacks, foresight, it's hard work." Shifu said, gently holding the flower petals.

"Foresight? Like...seeing into the future?" The panda began to get excited. He smiled widely.

Shifu nodded, "Why do you think Oogway had so much faith in you when I didn't? Why he chose you instead of Leo Lung or Tigress?"

"He could see into the future..." Po said in awe. Shifu used his wooden staff to guide Po's hands to his stomach. Po straightened his back excitedly; despite the threat of Kai, he was eager to learn.

"Yes. But it took him thirty years just to be able to see tomorrow, not to mention just how long it would take to be able to see months or even years into the future. These things can't just come to you overnight." Shifu emphasized, "Now, close your eyes." Po obeyed. Shifu continued, "Take deep breaths in through your nose. Feel the breath. Try not to talk." He said.

Po, with his eyes closed, took several deep breaths. He felt his mind, which often was jumping from place to place, settle, and calm. He felt a small smile tug on his lips. After several minutes of deep breathing, Shifu spoke again.

"Now, imagine a tiny flame, like one on a candle, in the dark. Think of the warmth, the light that that tiny flicker brings." Shifu instructed. He had his eyes closed and was following the same routine.

"Imagine that flame on your hand. Instead of being hot or deadly, it is warm. It's bright and glowing. Focus only on one hand." Shifu opened his eyes. He noticed that Po had a thin smile on his face. "Keep your breathing steady and your mind clear," Shifu instructed.

In Shifu's left paw was a small, glowing aura of chi. The red panda smiled as he gently lays his right paw over it. When he looked up, he saw that Po had a little bit of chi in his right paw! It wasn't by any means grand or magnificent, but it was still great for Po's first try.

"Now," with a smile on his face, Shifu said, "open your eyes."

Po obeyed. He opened his eyes and immediately saw the glowing golden aura in his paw, "WOAH! Master Shifu, I did it!" He exclaimed happily, holding his paw up to look at the aura. As soon as he finished his outburst, the chi faded. But Po was still excited, and he had a large grin on his face.

Shifu nodded in pride, "That is how you summon chi."

"Wow! That's so cool!" Po said happily, "Wait 'till I show the others in the conference room!" He eagerly hurried off to the main building. Shifu, proud, followed after. Suddenly Po stopped and turned and looked at Shifu, "Wait, Master Shifu." Po said, slowly. Po turned and looked at Shifu, who stopped and looked at the panda.

"Are you happy that Tai Lung is back? He was your first student, after all." Said Po.

Shifu stopped. He looked at the ground, then at his staff, avoiding Po's eyes. Was he happy that Tai Lung had returned? He felt his feelings clash: was he supposed to be happy, or scared, or a mix of both? Could he even trust the leopard?

"You don't have to answer right now," Po said, turning and walking back to the main building. Shifu stared sullenly at the ground and slowly followed.

In the conference room, Tai and Leo Lung, Shifu, Po, and the Furious Five each found a seat at the round table. Tai looked around, almost in surprise, when he had entered the room: "Did you guys build this after Shen attacked?"

"In short, yes. But that's a long story. For another day." Leo smiled, inviting the leopard to sit next to him.

"Tai Lung, tell us what you know." Shifu started.

"Well, Oogway didn't tell me much in the Spirit Realm." The leopard started, "He only said that he beat Kai 500 years ago and that Kai hasn't gotten over the defeat."

"So maybe, if Kai did beat Oogway, he won't come after us?" Viper suggested.

"But Oogway could use his chi to see into the future!" Po interjected, "So maybe he knew that Kai would come after us! He sent you to warn us, after all." Po pointed at Tai.

"He could what?!" Crane said, surprised, "I didn't know Oogway could predict the future." He said, almost astonished.

"There were few things Master Oogway couldn't do, like read minds." Shifu shrugged, "Tai Lung, do you know for certain if Oogway defeated Kai in the Spirit Realm?"

There was a moment of tense silence as all the eyes in the room turned to gaze at the leopard. Tai slowly shook his head, "No. He sent me here before the battle was even over. They could still be fighting for all I know." He looked down at the table sadly.

"Well, we need to prepare then," Shifu said resolutely. "We don't know when or if Kai is coming. But I will do my best to teach all of you how to summon and work with chi. Now, I am nothing like those pandas in Master Oogway's scroll," Shifu said, "but I will try. Our first lesson in chi will be tonight at sunset. Dismissed."

"Thank you, Master." The Five, Po, and Leo said in unison. Tai Lung remained silent, instead just staring out of the window looking over the Valley.

As everyone got up to get ready for their first lesson in chi, Shifu spoke up suddenly, "Tai Lung, can you stay here for a moment please?"

The leopard, who was almost halfway out the door, cocked an eyebrow, but sat down across from Shifu at the round table, "Yes?"

Shifu looked at his staff, which was leaning against the table next to him. He spoke quietly, "I'm..glad your back."

Tai Lung was quiet for a moment as he let Shifu's words sink in. With an irritated flick of his tail, the leopard growled, "Are you?" Tai Lung asked suddenly, "You certainly haven't welcomed me back with open arms."

Shifu suddenly remembered back almost 25 years ago. When Leo Lung had returned from his voluntary exile, Shifu had welcomed him back with open arms. And a feast. And a new apprentice: Tigress. Did Tai Lung get any of that? Tai Lung hadn't exactly noticed Klara, other than saying that she should leave the Valley for safety from Kai. But he didn't take a liking to her as Leo had taken a liking to Tigress.

"I guess I have just had a lot on my mind right now," Shifu said, avoiding Tai Lung's fiery gaze.

"No, it's ok." Tai Lung growled, "I understand who your favorite son is." He whispered. The leopard stood abruptly and left the room, presumably to find Leo Lung, the only one in the Palace who had happily welcomed him back. Shifu sat, alone, in the conference room. He put his head in his hands, and whispered,

"Oogway, what do I do?"

.

In the Valley

.

"And so then I went like whoosh, and then my paw started glowing!" Po exclaimed. He held out his paw in a demonstration.

"Wow! That's incredible son!" Mr. Ping said as he organized the kitchen of the noodle shop. In the new noodle shop, the kitchen was much larger for Po's sake. Po was able to stand upright, which he greatly appreciated, "Po, can you go get the deliveries in the back?" Mr. Ping asked.

Po nodded, "Of course, Dad!" He went out to the back of the restaurant. He saw several full boxes of cabbage, carrots, and other vegetables used in his father's shop. He picked up the box of cabbage and brought it into the kitchen, where his dad was fixing some dumplings for a patron. When Po went back outside, he took a deep breath.

After making sure the coast was clear, Po closed his eyes and tried to recreate the glowing chi. He put his hands in a clasped position like Shifu had taught him. Then, after several minutes of deep breathing, he imagined the candle flame. The candle flame was on his paw. It was warm, real, bright. He slowly opened his eyes.

There it was. A beautiful, golden light glowing in his paws. Po giggled like a child on their birthday. He brought his paws up to his face to look closer at the chi.

Up close, it was even more fascinating. There weren't any minuscule details up close; it was all pure, golden light. Po smiled.

"Po?!" Mr. Ping's voice broke him out of his trance. Po flinched, and the golden light in his paws faded, "What are you doing?" His father demanded, "I asked you to bring in the vegetables ten minutes ago!" The goose crossed his arms.

"Oh, sorry dad," Po said. He stared at his paws sadly. The chi was gone and now his paws were empty.

"Why is Shifu teaching you this stuff anyway?" Mr. Ping asked, picking up a box of zucchini, "I've never even heard of chi."

"Well," Po started. He then stopped himself. Should he tell his dad about Kai? And risk worrying him? Kai was just another villain. Po could handle it. "Well, apparently I need to know chi to defeat some villain that's coming." Po rolled his eyes, "Nothing unusual."

"Oh. Well, hurry up and help me with these ingredients. Some lunatic keeps ordering dumplings." His father rolled his eyes.

"Wait? What?" Po stopped suddenly, "They aren't trying to beat my dumpling eating record are they?" He asked his father.

"Nobody can beat your record, Po." Mr. Ping rolled his eyes, "Forty is more than anybody can eat."

Suddenly the door burst open, and a pig villager appeared in the doorway, "Somebody is beating your dumpling eating record!" He exclaimed to Po.

"WHAT?!" The panda shouted. Who in the Valley had the audacity and the stomach to try to beat his record? Po and Mr. Ping ran to the dining room. They could both hear the chanting of the crowd. Po burst through the door, "Who is eating my dumplings?!" He demanded.

"And whose paying for them?!" Mr. Ping followed him out.

The crowd was gathered around a large figure wearing a hat and a green vest. Beside them was a stack of empty dumpling bowls. The group of villagers was chanting and counting every dumpling this newcomer was eating. Po craned his neck to try and see, but the figure was hunched over a bowl, his back turned to him.

"101! 102! 103!" The crowd shouted. The figure flipped the bowl by slamming his fist on the table and stopped eating. Po's eyes widened. One hundred and three dumplings?! That was way more than double his record, and Po had topped out at forty! His jaw dropped as the figure's large, black, burly hands flew up into the air.

The figure turned around revealing a large, black and white face. A panda?! Po felt his heart leap into his throat. No way! The panda was looking at the crowd triumphantly and had an uncountable amount of dumplings in his mouth.

"Who...who are you?!" Po asked, his knees almost weak. The panda turned and looked up at him,

"Ah ahm E Shahn." The figure said, trying to enunciate around the dumplings.

"What?" Po said, unable to make out the words. The panda swallowed the food in one massive, impressive gulp.

"I am Li Shan. I am looking for my son."

.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Authors Note: Li Shan has arrived in the Valley! What will Po say now that he knows he needs to master chi? Do you think Tai's words to Shifu in the conference room were justified? I guess we'll find out soon! Be sure to leave a kudos and review if you haven't already :) I always read reviews and respond to them if I can. See you guys next week and stay safe!


	6. As Brothers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Li Shan has arrived at the Valley of Peace! What will Po say, since he knows that he needs to master chi before Kai arrives? Let's read on and find out!

.

.

The sky in rural northern China was a brilliant light sapphire blue. There was not a cloud in the sky. A small gust of wind blew occasionally, offsetting the heat from the Gobi desert, which was on the horizon westward.

However, thunder rumbled. But it wasn't like normal thunder. It roared. It roared like a rampaging dragon. Lightning struck on the edge of a farmer's field. But it wasn't normal lightning. It was green, a horrid mix between a sickly pale green and a magnificent jade.

The lightning, instead of instantly dissipating with an electrical crackle, struck the ground and held on, like a leaf holding onto a tree in a monsoon. The ground around it became a singed black, killing the plants around it and ruining the once fertile soil. A ball of pure, green energy materialized on the ground. With every second, the ball of energy grew, until it was nearly as big as a building.

Two of the farmers, having caught sight of this strange ball of energy with lightning and thunder and the works, approached it cautiously. The first farmer, a cautious young goose, shook nervously as she approached the green ball of light. Her friend, a male rabbit, saw it and his eyes grew wide. The two of them trembled as a crater formed around the energy.

The explosion of energy began to fade. As the pair of farmers approached the edge of the crater, they saw a huge thing at the bottom of the crater. They stared at it in confusion when that thing started moving. The goose, realizing that this was not anything normal, gently nudged her friend, "We should go. I don't feel good about this." She whispered.

The bunny, being the slighter braver of the two, shook his head, "We should see what it is." He said, in awe. The bunny was about to slide down the crater to see what this thing was when it glanced up at the two. Jade green eyes bore into the bunny and the goose. They were unnaturally green. The two farmers froze. The goose felt her feathers stand on edge, "Oh my-" Without even finishing her sentence, she grabbed her friend by the paw and turned. The two of them ran as fast as they could.

But before they could get far, a sudden jade sword cut in front of them, blocking off their path. The two farmers skidded to a halt, holding each other in pure fear. Slowly, the two friends turned and froze at the sight before them.

The thing was now standing at the edge of the crater. He had enormous horns that branched above his head. His muscles were huge! Everything about him was huge, for that matter. He had long black braids that fell over his neck and onto his torso. He was holding two jade swords, which were broad and gleaming in the light.

His green eyes seemed to glow, despite it still being light out. He had a wicked smirk on his lips. As he approached the two farmers, the bunny began trembling, and the goose, against her will, laid a perfectly white egg.

The thing, which looked like an ox that had spent its entire life working out, approached the two of them.

"What is this place?" He asked, leaning down to meet their eyes. The goose lowered her gaze,

"M-My brother's farm." She answered, trembling. Her eyes were wide.

"Hmm." The ox said, looking around. His gaze drifted back to the farmers, "If I stepped on you, would you die?" He asked, his voice a low rumble.

At that statement, the bunny whimpered and grabbed the goose. The goose, already fearing for her life, laid another egg. And another. And another dozen. She felt like she would scream just out of fear of this thing. The rabbit beside her nodded quickly, "Y-Yes." He answered, his eyes wide.

The ox grinned, "The mortal realm." He gazed at the ground around him as if he were amazed by the sight of it. "I've done it. You hear that, Oogway? I'm back." He stood up straighter, holding the jade pendant in his left hoof, "After 500 years, Kai has returned!" He bellowed triumphantly to the sky.

At this, the two farmers shared a confused glance. Who? Kai? The bunny spoke up, "Umm...I'm sorry who?" He asked. The ox turned towards them,

"Kai. General Kai. The supreme warlord of all of China!" He smiled cockily. The farmers shared a confused glance. Kai thought for a moment before speaking, "C'mon, work with me. Jade slayer? Master of pain? You may know me as the Beast of Vengeance?" He tried, "Maker of widows?" He asked.

"Nope." The goose, although still terrified, shook her head. She had no clue.

"Alright fine." Kai thought for a moment, before pursing his lips, "I used to work with Oogway." He whispered, almost shamefully.

"Oh yeah!" The bunny exclaimed, "We love him!" The two farmers visibly perked up. Kai snorted in annoyance. As they began voicing their praises towards the tortoise, Kai bristled,

"Silence!" He grabbed one of his swords menacingly, causing the two farmers to resume cowering at his feet. Kai reached for several jade pendants at his hip, not even bothering to look. He tossed them on the ground like you toss a coin into a wishing well. Several green flashes materialized in front of the farmers, forming into jade statues of the Twin Master Badgers, Master Porcupine, Master Boar, Master Thundering Rhino, and Master Gorilla. Kai instructed them, "Bring me the rest of the Masters of Kung Fu. Alive." He ordered.

When Kai finished speaking, the five enslaved masters split into multiple directions. They ran fast, without tiring, without thinking. Without muscles or bones to tire them out, the jade statues ran almost abnormally quickly. They covered the span of the entire farm in seconds. When one of them reached a steep hill, they scaled it without even slowing down.

The two cowering farmers took this as their cue to leave, retreating almost as fast as the jade statues. Kai grabbed the pendant around his neck, "When I am finished, Oogway, no one will remember your name." He chuckled, which then grew into a maniacal laugh,

"Kai is coming!"

.

In the Valley

.

The villagers nearly gasped at Li Shan's statement. He had lost his son? And here Po was standing right here! They looked excitedly between the two pandas.

"You lost your son?" Po asked quietly. Li Shan nodded sadly, holding his hat in his hands,

"Yes, many, many years ago. I've been searching for the past four years." He said, with a gentle smile on his muzzle.

"Wow." Po breathed, "I lost my parents, many years ago." He said, wringing his hands.

"I'm very sorry," Li said. The villagers, however, had already put two and two together. They smiled eagerly. The father and son duo were reunited! The tension in the air was thick as Po and Li Shan stared silently.

"Thank you." Po said, with a gentle smile, "Good luck to you."

"I hope you find your father." Li Shan said quietly, putting his hat back on his head.

"And I hope you find your son," Po said politely.

The two pandas turned their backs: Po to re-enter the kitchen and Li to leave in search of his son. The villagers all cringed and face-palmed. The excited, joyous tension did a complete 180 and turned into disappointment, plain and simple.

Just before Po was about to enter the kitchen, he stopped. {Wait. I'm searching for my dad...he's searching for his son-} Po whipped around abruptly. Li Shan, suddenly realizing the same thing, did the same

"Son! Oh my gosh, it is you!" Li Shan shouted happily. A huge smile burst on Po's face, and he wheezed in pure joy. "Well, don't just stand there!" Li said, "Give your old man a hug!" Li held out his arms as an invitation.

Po held up his arms excitedly and wheezed again in unadulterated excitement. This was his father! His father whom he thought had died! The two pandas raced towards each other, meeting in a great big hug. Li picked up Po, squeezing him tight.

"I'm so happy your alive!" Po cried, burying his face into his father's shoulder. Po held on tight as if Li would disappear if he ever let go.

Li sighed in happiness, "I can't believe I found you, Little Lotus."

{Wait- what?} Po's eyes flew open. He scrambled out of his father's hug.

"Wait. Um, this is kind of embarrassing, but I think you have me confused with a panda named Lotus. My name is Po." He said, a frown creasing his muzzle. Maybe this wasn't his dad after all.

"Oh!" Li said suddenly, "well- ah," He searched for the right words, "Little Lotus was the name you were given at birth!" He said as if it were obvious.

"Really?!" Po said excitedly.

"Yeah! Really!" Li smiled.

"I can't believe it!" Po exclaimed, "After all these years, you're finally here."

"I spent the last four years searching for you," Li said quietly, "It was a long journey."

"This is amazing! Oh, Dad!" Po suddenly remembered Mr. Ping was standing there, "Come meet- erm.." Po turned to Li, "I'm not exactly sure what I should call you." Po chuckled nervously as he gazed between his biological father and his adopted father.

Mr. Ping scowled, "I'm pretty sure he said his name is Li."

Instead of being offended or put off by Mr. Ping's sudden hostility, Li smiled and approached the goose, "You...Come here!" He wrapped his burly arms around the goose, "Thank you, thank you for taking such good care of my son!"

Mr. Ping flinched and visibly bristled, "You're son?!" He shoved himself away from Li, "Now hold on a minute! How do we know this stranger is even related to you?!" He pointed an accusing feather at the older panda.

"Would you look at that!" Li suddenly pointed at his belly, "Our bellies could be brothers!" He pointed at Po's stomach, "Hey, son, let me teach you how to belly gong!" He laughed and gonged his stomach against Po's, who returned the gong right back.

"Belly gong!" Po said a wide grin on his face. Mr. Ping felt his skin heat up in anger.

A pig with an ink pen and scroll suddenly approached the trio, "Let me draw a picture of you two!" He smiled.

"Yeah! Come on, let's take a picture together!" The duo held each other shoulder to shoulder, and the pig began to happily sketch a picture of them together, "This is so exciting!" Po squealed, "I can't believe we are taking a picture!"

The pig turned the scroll around, revealing a grinning Po, an excited Li, and a near furious Mr. Ping between the two of them. Po and Li turned to look at the goose, who spoke suddenly,

"There's something I still don't understand. I thought Po was the only panda left."

Li pulled the two over to a table, "No, there's a whole village of us!"

"Really?!" Po said, excited, "Where?"

"Here," Li leaned in so only Mr. Ping and Po could hear, "a secret panda village in the mountains."

"A SECRET PANDA VI-" Po yelled out, only to be shushed by Li. Li smiled happily and nodded. Po then spoke normally, "So, how did you know that I was alive?"

"It was a message," Li said. Mr. Ping suddenly interjected,

"How could you receive a message if no one could find you, huh? Sounds suspicious to me." The goose said. The villagers, now taking Mr. Ping's side, crossing their arms in suspicion as well.

"It-It was a message from the universe!" Li exclaimed. The crowd and Po both gasped in amazement.

Mr. Ping clenched his fists and muttered, "Rats..." He turned his gaze to the floor, nearly defeated.

Po suddenly straightened up. He remembered the dire warning the Tai Lung had brought and the scroll that Oogway had written. His smile fell as he remembered that time was of the essence. He looked at Li, "Can we go to the Jade Palace? I..I need to talk to you about something." He slowly made his way to the exit

"Of course, son!" Li noticed Po's sudden change in demeanor, "Anything for my son, the Dragon Warrior!"

Po stopped and turned, "How did you know I was the Dragon Warrior? Did the universe tell you that too?" He smiled, the excitement of before returning. Li chuckled,

"I saw the poster," He pointed at a large poster hung on a wall, "and I bought a tiny cup from the gift shop." He held a minuscule red cup. Po smiled in happiness,

"Come on, Dad! I want to show you the palace. You'll be so proud of me!" He used his arm to beckon Li towards the entrance. Li and Po left to go to the Palace, while the villagers happily dispersed- many of them leaving to follow the Dragon Warrior and Li.

When everyone had left, Mr. Ping was standing, alone, in the middle of the restaurant. Hot soup and dumplings were left on the table, abandoned. The goose sighed sadly and hung his head. He felt his heart crack into pieces and he whispered,

"I'm already so proud of you." He said, sadly.

.

In the Jade Palace

.

"So..you have to...climb these steps...every day?" Li huffed as they made it to the entrance of the palace.

"Yup..." Po sighed as he tried to catch his breath. He held his chest, "Panda asthma, ya know? Does that run in the family?"

Li huffed for several seconds before answering, "Nobody runs in our family." He scrambled up the final steps. Po was silent as he thought over Li's words, then shrugged.

When the two pandas had finally caught their breath, Po showed Li the courtyard.

"Wow." Li gasped. The Japanese cherry petals, carried by the wind, blew and swirled around his body. The petals tickled his fur and he smiled. It was almost as if they were welcoming him to the Palace.

"Isn't it great? It wasn't always like this. We built this after Shen...well after he destroyed it." Po said, fidgeting slightly.

"Shen?" Li stopped, "As in Lord Shen, who destroyed our village?"

"Well, yeah, but it's not destroyed any more!" Po said, happily, "The wolves rebuilt it so they could live there and-" Po realized what he was saying and quickly stopped himself. He looked at his dad nervously. Li's eyes narrowed as Po's words registered in his brain.

"So, what you're telling me is that the wolves, who work for Shen, rebuilt the village that they destroyed to kill us?" Li's arms flew into the air for emphasis, "Po, they were the enemy! They are living on the graves of countless pandas! The graves of our family!"

"Well, they aren't the enemy anymore!" Po explained quickly, "Shen and Alpha are dead! The wolves are peaceful now!"

"Yeah, peaceful just like the pandas were before those dogs attacked. How ironic." Li said, the anger obvious in his voice. The larger panda turned to storm back down the steps but stopped after realizing how much time and energy he had spent coming up the stairs. Li clenched his fists and turned back to Po, "Your mother died in that attack. She died defending you."

Po flinched, and Li spoke again, "I fought to protect you and your mother, and still she died! They burned our homes! They killed our family! Those wolves are nothing but murderers and thieves! Those dirty mutts shouldn't even have a home after what they did to us." He said.

Despite Po not being a wolf at all, the words stung. He knew many those wolves personally. Shui wasn't a murderer, she was a mother who loved and cared for her child and her pack. Huo wasn't a thief; Huo was a child, for crying out loud! Ri Chu and Wan weren't dirty mutts, they just wanted to protect the pack! Po closed his eyes and took a deep breath. His dad was just angry, that's all. He didn't really mean it, right?

Li glared at Po, waiting for him to try and defend the wolves. But Po just spoke quietly, "Just, follow me, please. I need to show you something."

Po solemnly took his father to the Scroll Archives. As they walked, Po kept waiting for Li to simply apologize and promise to make it up, but the bigger panda said nothing. Po felt bad. Surely his dad wasn't always like this. Was his happy, excitable personality in the noodle shop just a ploy to get Po to warm up to him?

Po entered the Archives and made his way to the scroll of Oogway, which was right where Leo had left it in the glass case. It was locked.

"We need Master Leo to unlock the case for us," Po said quietly, "only he has the key."

"Ok, so let's find Master Leo," Li said.

"He's probably with Tai Lung," Po said, making his way to the exit. Li followed, gazing at all of the scrolls that were classified in different compartments.

As Po pushed the doors open, he was met by Mr. Ping, who honked in surprise.

"Dad?!" Po said suddenly, "What are you doing here?" He asked, surprised.

"I...I just wanted to check on you!" Mr. Ping said, defensively, putting his wings on his hips. Po spoke up

"Well, we were just about to find-"

"Po!" A voice called out, "There you are." Master Shifu appeared, with the Furious Five behind him. Shifu stopped as he saw Li standing there, "Is that-"

"My dad, yeah." Po said, almost half-heartedly, "Dad, this is Master Shifu."

"It is the greatest honor to meet you, Master Panda!" Shifu shook Li's large paw. Li, despite his previous outburst, smiled and nodded,

"Nice to meet you." The panda smiled. Po gave a small smile. He introduced his dad to the rest of the Five:

"This is Monkey, Viper, Crane, Mantis, and Tigress." He said quietly.

"Great to meet all of you!" Li bent down to shake Monkey's paw, "Viper, was it?"

"Monkey, sir." Replied the primate. Po spoke up.

"We need to find Master Leo to unlock the case. I would like to show my dad the scroll."

"I'll go fetch him." The monkey said, leaving the archives. Shifu turned to Li,

"So, Master Panda," Shifu asked, "what made you come to the Valley of Peace?"

"Well," Li stated, "honestly, I wanted to find my son." He placed a paw on Po's shoulder, "I received a message from the universe that he was in the Valley of Peace. I wanted to bring him back to our village, and show him our ways of life."

"Really?" Po asked, brightening up. Despite the suddenness of his father's outburst earlier, Po felt the excitement of meeting more pandas growing.

"What?!" Mr. Ping said loudly, "He can't go to the panda village! Master Shifu, tell him he can't go!" The goose turned to the red panda.

The red panda shook his head, "It might be for the best. If the pandas can teach him chi."

Mr. Ping groaned and held his head in his wings. The doors were hauled open as Masters Leo and Tai Lung entered, Monkey following behind him. Leo Lung spotted Li and grinned, "Po, is this your father?" Tai Lung looked on quietly.

"Yeah! Can you unlock the case for us?" Po asked, "I want to be able to go to this panda village."

The lion nodded and proceeded to the back of the room to unlock the case. Mr. Ping huffed in frustration, "I still don't think you should go. Tigress, can you give us a second opinion? Crane? Anybody?" He looked around at the gathered warriors.

"It really would be for the best," Crane answered quietly. The goose, saddened by this, went quiet.

Leo approached with the green scroll and unraveled it. He opened it all the way towards the end, where the panda village and their use of chi were highlighted. Po eagerly took the scroll and showed his dad,

"See? I need to learn this." He pointed to the large pandas using the hand motions, "Can you teach me that?" He asked. Li smiled and nodded,

"Of course! We.." He studied the picture of the pandas, "We do that all the time!" Li said.

"Oh my gosh!" Po said, a large grin on his face, "This is so amazing!"

"And just in time, too," Shifu said, "I don't know what we would do if you hadn't arrived, Master Panda." He bowed gratefully to Li.

Li opened his mouth to reply but was abruptly cut off. A loud bell began ringing in the Valley, alerting everyone in the archives. The masters turned and gazed out the door, towards the sound. The bell was only sounded for one reason.

"There's an attack!" Leo snarled. His ears pinned to his head and his mane bristled.

"Dad!" Po suddenly perked up, "Now's your chance to see me in action! Come watch!" He suddenly rushed out the door and towards the courtyard.

"Wait! Son!" Li shouted, jogging as fast as he could after him.

"Five, Leo, with me!" Shifu ordered, following the two pandas and hurrying to stop the attackers. The Furious Five eagerly followed.

Leo was about to leap out the door when he remembered Tai. He turned and looked at the leopard, who was looking sadly at the door, almost as if he wished to stop the attackers as well. Leo straightened up and beckoned Tai to follow him, "Well? Are you coming?"

Tai looked at Leo, "I..I don't think it would be wise for me to go. The villagers still don't know I've returned. They still think I'm a monster." He stared sadly at the floor.

With a determined huff, Leo strode over to his brother, "They don't know the real you." Leo placed a large paw comfortingly on Tai's shoulder, "But I do. It doesn't matter what they think of you." Leo whispered, "It doesn't matter." Tai sighed quietly as he listened to Leo.

"Now come on." He playfully punched Tai in the chest, "When was the last time we've charged into battle together, as brothers?" The lion grinned and tilted his head towards the door. With a satisfied flick of his tail, Tai smiled and fell onto all fours. Leo copied his stance. With that, the two cats followed Po's lead and charged into battle.

"Too long, brother. Too long."

.

Authors Note: Po has introduced the Jade Palace Masters to his father! But Li also knows that Shui and her pack live where the panda village used to be. I know that in the movie, Li is pretty laidback and carefree, so I tried not to write him too Out Of Character, but I still wanted the frustration and anger to be there.

And in the next chapter, our protagonists are going to face the Jombies! Be sure to leave a review to predict how you think Tai Lung, Leo Lung, and the rest of our characters will react to these unfamiliar faces. If you haven't favorited and followed, be sure to because positive feedback is my best motivation! See you next week :)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Authors Note: Po has introduced the Jade Palace Masters to his father! But Li also knows that Shui and her pack live where the panda village used to be. I know that in the movie, Li is pretty laidback and carefree, so I tried not to write him too Out Of Character, but I still wanted the frustration and anger to be there.
> 
> And in the next chapter, our protagonists are going to face the Jombies! Be sure to leave a review to predict how you think Tai Lung, Leo Lung, and the rest of our characters will react to these unfamiliar faces. If you haven't kudos’d and bookmarked, be sure to because positive feedback is my best motivation! See you next week :)


	7. Jombies!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Victorvcj: I can't spoil anything, but Li will have the opportunity to meet some of the wolves before the story is over, and we will also be able to see the wolf village. Thanks for your continued loyalty :)

The wind that rushed through Tai Lung's fur was something he hadn't felt in a long time. Although he appreciated his time in the Spirit Realm, the quiet and calm of the Spirit Realm was nothing compared to this. Even sparring with other masters held nothing to the adrenaline the leopard felt as he ran beside Leo into battle.

The two cats followed Po as he leaped into battle. Tai spotted their opponents; green-clad warriors that leaped from rooftop to rooftop. However, as they grew closer, Tai slowed to a jog. These weren't just any opponents. His eyes widened and he gasped as he remembered who they were.

"Stop!" He yowled to the Five, Shifu, and the rest, "Everyone stop!" He skidded to a halt.

"Are you kidding me?!" Po said, surprised, crashing into a rooftop. Po got a good look at one of the enemies, and his muzzle scrunched in confusion.

"These are Kai's minions! He's stolen their chi, and now they're statues!" Tai snarled, looking at the statues.

"But...they...they are made of jade!" Po said, confused as he faced off against Master Porcupine.

Tai and Leo Lung confronted the Master Badger twins, but Leo looked at Tai, "So are they...dead? I mean, their soul is dead?"

Before answering, Tai landed a strong front kick to the first badger twin, and elbowed him in the face, only to wince as he hit the hard jade, "Yes! Like zombies."

"Jade zombies?" Po and Monkey asked at the same time. They eagerly looked at each other, "Jombies! OW!" Monkey shrieked as Master Porcupine lodged a quill into his bow and fired, slicing Monkey's left arm open. Monkey- joined by Viper and Crane- turned to the Jombiefied Master Porcupine, and the four began to engage in combat.

Tigress landed in front of Master Boar, whose glimmering green eyes met hers. Tigress snarled and reared her paw back. However, instead of landing a clean, knock-out blow, her paw stopped short and crumpled on Boar's snout. Tigress yowled in pain, grabbing her knuckles and wincing.

Leo Lung, who was battling the Badger Twins with Tai, turned as he heard Tigress' call for help. Without even thinking, he left Tai's side and rushed to Tigress' aid. Tai, seeing this, huffed and turned to face his opponents alone.

Shifu, seeing how Leo left Tai to help Tigress, felt his instincts demand that he help Tai. He watched as Tai Lung tried to best to hold his own against the two Jombies. But the leopard began to struggle as the two jade minions began to use their weapons against Tai.

{What are you doing?!} A voice demanded in Shifu's brain, {He is your apprentice! Help him.} Shifu inhaled sharply and leaped into battle. He landed a study kick to the first Badger Twin's muzzle and sent him falling from the roof onto the street below.

Tai saw this and stared at Shifu in what looked like an expression of surprise. The leopard was quiet for a moment. Then, after side-kicking the second Badger Twin and sending him sprawling into an empty cart, he quietly muttered, "Thanks."

Shifu felt a small smile form on his muzzle. Maybe Tai was coming around. A sudden shout caused him to look down at the streets, "Oh! Lotus! Look out!"

Li Shan appeared from around the corner. He had followed the masters from the Jade Palace. He danced around the edge of the battle, watching anxiously as Po battled the Jombies.

"Don't worry, Dad!" Po shouted back, "I do this all the time- Yow!" He cried as Master Porcupine swatted him with a staff. Li's paws flew up to his head in worry.

Master Porcupine leaped into the air, kicking Po threw the roof of a nearby building.

Po landed in- coincidentally- his bedroom. Master Porcupine landed on top of Po and began to use his staff to put Po in a chokehold. Po groaned and pushed against him, but the jade statue had an abnormal amount of strength.

Po's vision began to grow blurry. {I have to do something!} He looked around him, desperate for anything to save him from the chokehold. He suddenly saw a figure on his bedstand. {Aha!}

"Look! It's you! But smaller!" Po wheezed, holding up his Master Porcupine action figure. The Jombie turned and stared. Its eyes widened, almost in amazement, giving Po just enough time to push him off.

Shifu landed in Po's room and shoved Master Porcupine away. Leading Master Porcupine out of the restaurant building itself and into the open dining room, Po grabbed the nearest kitchen utensil to battle the Jombie, which happened to be a large pan his father used to cook vegetables in.

Right before Po swung the pan at Master Porcupine, he suddenly heard his father shout, "No! Not my good pan!" The goose suddenly snatched the pan from Po's paw, to both his and Porcupine's surprise. Mr. Ping gave a tiny ladle to Po, "Here, use this instead."

Surprised by the size of his new weapon but not discouraged, Po clanged the ladle against the porcupine's head. It didn't do anything, but Po still fought and lead Master Porcupine out into the dining room, where the rest of the Jade Palace warriors had brought the Master Badger Twins and Master Boar.

Po saw an abandoned bowl of dumplings on a nearby table. An idea popped into his head, and he shouted out, "Dumplings of Doom!"

Monkey and Mantis, who were trying to hold their own against Master Boar, grabbed nearby bowls of dumplings. Po, using a table which already had three bowls present, slammed his fist on the table. The bowls of dumplings flew into the air. Monkey and Mantis, having grabbed the rest of the nearby bowls, threw them towards Po.

With practiced skill, Po caught every dumpling in his mouth. Viper slithered quickly up Po's leg and coiled around his stomach.

"What's the dumpling of doom?" Tai whispered quickly, landing beside Leo.

"Take cover!" Leo grabbed Tai's arm and pulled him behind Po. Tigress, when it was only the Badger Twins, Master Porcupine, and Master Boar in front of Po, grabbed Viper's tail and pulled.

Dumplings shot out of Po's mouth faster than anything Tai Lung had ever seen. Leo, Tai, Shifu, Crane, Mantis, and Monkey took cover behind some tables, watching in awe at the violent shower of dumplings. Tigress and Viper guided Po and aimed the food right at the enslaved masters, pushing them back.

"Now! Pin them down!" Shifu ordered. He leaped out from underneath the table and launched himself at Master Porcupine. His students followed afterward; each of them charging towards a Jombie.

The Jombies saw the Jade Palace Warriors charge towards them, but barely had any time to react before they were knocked to the ground. Leo held his claws to the throat of Master Porcupine.

"So what now?" Po panted, glaring at each of the Jombies.

Almost as if on cue, the once dull eyes of the Jombies began to glow a bright green, almost white. Leo tilted his head in confusion but didn't let Porcupine up. A sudden deep, resounding chuckle echoed throughout the restaurant,

"I see you." Spoke all of the Jombies at once.

The masters each recoiled in surprise. The Jombies could talk?! Tai Lung, instantly recognizing the voice, snarled in anger and thrust his face towards Master Boar's, whom he was helping hold down,

"Kai! You coward, come and fight us like a true warrior!" The leopard's fur was spiked and his tail lashed with spite.

"Tai Lung!" Shifu, remembering the secret to beating Kai, whispered harshly, "Calm down!"

"Let the cat talk," Kai said through the Jombies, "I would love to beat him again. His chi, and all of yours, will be mine."

Without a second of hesitation, the Jombies rose into the air and were shrunk down to tiny pendants. The pendants soared through the sky, heading north. Tai growled and clenched his fists in frustration, while the other masters just watched in awe.

"We need to follow them!" Tai said, "They will lead us to Kai!"

Shifu stared after them, debating in his mind. Then, with a firm huff, the red panda shook his head resolutely, "Back to the palace."

As the warriors turned to return to the palace, they were met with many villagers gathered at the front of the entrance. They had gathered to watch the fight, but, now, they were staring in fear at Tai Lung.

The leopard stood rather awkwardly. The villager's eyes were wide with fear. Shifu, realizing that Tai couldn't do this alone, stepped forward calmly, "Don't panic. Tai Lung is not a villain anymore. He is here to help us fight a new villain who is coming."

The villagers looked at each other, debating whether or not to believe Shifu. They saw Tai fighting with the Furious Five, so surely he wasn't bad anymore, right? One pig spoke up, "I thought Po defeated Tai Lung!"

"Yeah! I saw it!"

"How should we believe he's good?"

"But the Dragon Warrior is right there!"

"He should send him back to the Spirit Realm!"

The crowds shouting caused Tai Lung to curl his tail in apprehension. Many of the villagers pointed accusing fingers and shouted angrily. They didn't swarm, but Tai believed if he so much as breathed they would tear his fur off.

He had never seen such an angry mob, and for that hate and fear to be directed at him was a new feeling entirely. Leo grabbed Tai's arm and whispered into his ear, "Come on, let's go. They don't know the real you." The lion pushed past the crowds and led the way back to the Palace.

.

In the conference room

.

The Jade Palace Masters, as well as Li Shan, Mr. Ping, Klara, Milu, and Elena, were seated at the round table. To save seats, Klara sat on her mother's lap and Mantis was perched on Monkey's shoulder. Tai Lung, instead of sitting down, was pacing slowly near the window, looking out nearly every time he passed it, almost as if he was waiting for Kai.

Right when the warriors had arrived back at the palace, Milu had seen to their injuries. Monkey had several white bandages wrapped tightly around his arm- exactly where Master Porcupine had hit him with a quill. Tigress' knuckles weren't broken- thank goodness- just badly bruised. Milu had given her a soothing balm and ordered her to take it easy on that hand. Afterward, Shifu summoned him and his family to the conference room.

"You said they were like zombies?" Milu asked with a tilt of his head.

"Yeah!" Po said, "Then they were like poof...then poof! And they were gone!" He exclaimed.

"And the best way to defeat Kai is to become a master of chi?" The doctor asked. He was met was several nods from the masters.

"I think we should send Po to the panda village," Shifu spoke up, "it is the only way for him to properly learn chi before Kai arrives."

"What?!" Mr. Ping exclaimed loudly, "He can't go to the village!"

"Why not?" Po asked, "I have to learn chi! It's the only way, Dad!"

"It's so far! And what if you don't like it? What if you miss home?" The goose fretted. "What if they have food that you don't like?"

"I'll be fine," Po mumbled, seemingly embarrassed by Mr. Ping's outburst. Suddenly Po looked at Li Shan, "Wait, it won't take four years to get to the village, will it? You said it took you four years to get here."

"Oh, no!" Li laughed heartily, "I took a lot of detours and stops." Li smiled, "Plus there was one time I went back to the village. But then I began looking again after a couple of months." He added quietly.

Milu, who had shared a glance with Elena, took his turn to speak up, "If Po is going to the panda village, I want Klara going with him. For her safety."

"What?" Klara asked, "Dad, I want to fight Kai!"

"No. Absolutely not." Milu shook his head, "I don't want you fighting someone that not even Tai Lung could beat." The finality in his voice was certain, and Klara huffed stubbornly.

Hearing his declaration, Tai stopped in his tracks. Although Milu spoke the truth, it still caused Tai's fur to heat up. Surely Tai was not ashamed of defeat? But, as the rest of the masters, as well as Li Shan, Milu, Elena, and Mr. Ping, discussed plans to send Po and Klara off, Tai stared quietly out of the window.

Milu and his family were new to the Palace, compared to the Furious Five or Leo or even Po. And did they know him by just his defeat? Was he going to be remembered for losing to Kai, or even losing to Po? He stared quietly at the city below him. His list of achievements was long, and that was being humble. He clenched his fists and took several deep breaths like Master Oogway taught him to.

And the crowds. It was exactly as Tai Lung had feared. They all remembered and still hated him. They didn't see him as Leo Lung saw him. He hung his head. Surely his legacy wouldn't be one that was remembered and scorned? Tai took a deep breath to try and calm himself.

{Inner Peace.} The leopard hummed to himself, {Don't turn pebbles into boulders.} He imagined the wise tortoise saying to him.

"Then it's settled," Shifu said, drawing Tai back into the present, "Po, Klara, you will both leave as soon as possible. Po, learn as much chi as you can, and keep Klara safe. Klara, stay safe and practice your kung fu."

"Yes, Master Shifu," Po said proudly. Klara smiled,

"Ok, Master!"

"The rest of you, meet me in the training room. I will show you all how to summon and work with chi. Dismissed." Shifu stood from the conference table and left for the training hall, as did the Furious Five. Klara hopped off of Elena's lap and scampered after them.

Milu held his hoof over Elena's, "Darling, I want you to stay in the village. At least until Kai is defeated."

"I can hold my own," Elena whispered stubbornly. Leo and Tai, the only two others left in the room, stood quietly by the window and listened.

"This is a powerful adversary." Milu said, "When this is all over I want to be able to know you are ok." He held Elena's hoof up to his lips and kissed her hoof softly.

Elena, knowing that her husband had a point, sighed, "Ok. But if you get hurt, Milu, I won't be able to live with myself."

"I never get hurt." The wapiti smiled broadly and stood. He led Elena out to help Klara get ready for her journey, leaving only Leo and Tai in the room. The two cats stared out of the window quietly.

After several minutes of thinking, Leo looked at his brother, but Tai spoke first, "They still hate me."

Taking a deep breath, Leo put a consoling paw on Tai's shoulder. "We can always try again after all this is over."

"We don't know what will happen after this is over." The leopard growled, "What if Oogway brings me back to the Spirit Realm? What if Kai wins?"

"Kai won't win." Leo interrupted, "Now come on, we need to learn chi."

Although Leo had ended the conversation there, thoughts still ran rampant through Tai's brain. Kai could very well win. If he did, would Tai ever see Leo or Oogway again? As the two walked to the training hall, they spotted a gathering near the front gates.

Looking closer, Leo saw that it was Po, Klara, and Li Shan. They had several bags packed and were about to leave. Shifu, Milu, and Elena, as well as the Furious Five, were seeing them off. Leo went to join them, as did Tai Lung. However, Leo couldn't see Mr. Ping anywhere. But the lion just shrugged it off. Maybe he had already said his farewells and went back down to the noodle shop.

Elena bent down and kissed Klara on her forehead, "Be careful, my little fawn, and have fun, baby! Mommy and Daddy love you." Milu nodded in agreement, giving her a big hug.

"I love you guys too!" Klara piped up, eager to begin her journey.

"Bye, guys!" Po said, waving.

"Bye, Po!" Everyone called out. Tai Lung was quiet but still nodded in farewell.

As the three left for the panda village, Shifu spoke up, "I hope he learns in time. But we need to focus on what we can do. I want to teach you what I can." He turned to his students, "To the Training hall."

When everyone- minus Milu and Elena- had gathered in a semi-circle around Shifu for their first lesson in chi, the red panda nodded in approval and began talking, "Chi is not a physical thing. You can't swing it like a sword or a knife, however, it can be used as a weapon if you know how to wield it. But first, we must learn how to summon it."

Shifu closed his eyes, wrapped his hands in a circle around his stomach, and took a deep breath. Everyone leaned forward, eager to see what would happen. Shifu pushed his hands into a wide circle, and soon they began glowing golden, basking his students in light.

Everyone watched in wonder. Even Tigress, who tended to keep her emotions more in check than everyone else, had her eyes wide and her mouth open at the sight.

Shifu opened his eyes, "That is how you summon chi. Now, let's try it."

As the lesson continued, Shifu taught the masters how to summon chi at the drop of a hat. With Kai coming to the palace at any given moment, they needed to learn at least how to wield chi in combat.

But Shifu's knowledge only lasted so long. He knew how to throw a chi-infused punch or kick, but it took a lot out of him. He didn't know how to summon a chi shield or chi weapons. After he taught his students everything he knew, he let them spar.

Leo quickly learned that fighting with chi was a lot stronger and more demanding than fighting normally. Throwing a single punch with chi nearly took his breath away. He couldn't imagine having to fight an entire battle while using only chi as his weapon.

The Furious Five encountered the same problem. After a few minutes of sparring with chi, they were panting and gasping for air. Shifu wasn't disappointed in their drained stamina because he had the same problem.

The only warrior who thrived with chi, however, was Tai Lung. His years spent training with Oogway in the Spirit Realm was not all wasted time. Although he was no master, his stamina and ability to use chi was superior to even Shifu. While the rest of the Masters were catching their breath, Tai Lung was ready to continue sparring.

After nearly two hours of rigorous training, Shifu called for an end to the training- much to everyone's relief. The Masters left the Training Hall and made their way to the kitchen, eager to get some food.

As everyone sat down and the cooks, who were trying their best to make food without the guidance of Elena- who had moved down into the Valley after Klara left- began making food for them.

When the cooks gave everyone a bowl of noodles and pirogi, Zeng entered the kitchen.

"Umm, Tigress? There is a letter here for you." He handed a sealed scroll to the tiger. Tigress nodded in thanks and put the scroll beside her dish.

"Well?" Mantis spoke, "Are you going to open it?"

"Don't be so nosy, Mantis!" Viper chastised, "Besides, it's probably just some fan-mail anyway."

"You never know," Shrugged Mantis.

Tigress shot a look to the insect. After eating a bite of her pirogi, Tigress broke the seal and unraveled the scroll. She began to read the scroll nonchalantly. Fanmail was something that she, as well as many of the other masters at the palace, was used to. However, as she began to scan the words on the scroll, her eyes grew wide. Her ears pinned to her head in concern.

"Oh, no.." She muttered to herself.

"What?" Crane asked, "What is it?"

Everyone leaned forward as they waited for Tigress to speak. Monkey, who was sitting next to Tigress, tried to peek and see what was in the letter, but Tigress tilted it away from him as she read and reread the scroll.

"Are you going to tell us?" Leo asked, his mouth full of noodles.

Tigress closed the scroll and looked at everyone at the table,

"It's Shui." Tigress said, "She's sent Huo to the palace, and he's arriving tomorrow morning."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Authors Note: Po, Klara, and Li Shan have left, but Huo is on his way! And everyone is trying to learn chi, but it seems like it's going to take a while before anyone is a master. What's going to happen when Kai arrives? Guess we will have to wait and find out! To all my American friends, Happy Independence Day, and to all my Canadian friends, Happy Canada Day (kind of late lol)! Remember to leave kudos and a bookmark! See you guys next Saturday!


	8. Sibling Rivalry

In the mountains

Po, Li, and Klara had been walking for several hours. The weather was beautiful for hiking: the summer sun was beaming down, but the mountain winds were keeping the three hikers comfortably cool.

Li and Po were panting lightly. Despite Li searching years for Po, and Po being the actual Dragon Warrior, stamina was an attribute that avoided the two pandas like a plague.

Klara, on the other hoof, was skipping along like a child on her way to school. Klara had spent ten months hiking across all of Asia with Elena just to find her father. She had scaled mountains, survived Russian winters, and trudged through the Gobi desert. She had feet of steel. No feat of geography could tire out this eight-year-old.

So, while Po and Li were sitting taking their first break about five hours out from the Jade Palace, Klara looked around searching for wildflowers. Po watched her out of the corner of his eyes, "Don't go too far." He panted, sitting on his rump. Klara nodded in understanding.

As Po threw his backpack onto the ground, he heard a muffled squawk come from inside. Po narrowed his eyes. He crawled over to the backpack and ripped it open. What he saw honestly surprised him.

Inside the backpack, Mr. Ping was scrunched up on top of the food and supplies. He saw Po staring, confused, at him, and smiled sheepishly, "Hi, son."

"Dad?! What are you doing here?!" Po exclaimed. Mr. Ping crawled out of the backpack, and Li and Klara watched in shock.

"What am I doing?" The goose grumbled grumpily, "I'm getting a backache! Did you have to step on every rock and twig in your path?" He asked. Po shook his head,

"That's not what I mean!"

Mr. Ping nodded, knowing exactly what Po meant, "I had to come! I simply couldn't let you and Klara go all alone! What if the pandas have food you don't like? You can't save the world on an empty stomach! Those pandas probably don't even know how to make pierogi! We can't let poor Klara starve."

Li pursed his lips. He had never even heard of pirogi. But as Po and Mr. Ping argued, he turned and looked at Klara, who was holding a bundle of wildflowers in her hooves. She had seemed initially shocked at Mr. Ping's appearance but had simply shrugged it off and turned to collect her flowers. She was more than happy to welcome the goose on the journey. But Li had other thoughts,

"It's supposed to be a secret panda village. We can't share the location with anyone."

"You think I can't keep a secret?!" Mr. Ping demanded. He waddled towards Li, stopping in front of him, "I raised Po for over twenty years before I told him he was adopted!" The goose pointed a feathery finger at Po.

Li frowned, "Seriously?"

Po nodded sheepishly, "Yeah, it was crazy." The panda said, reminiscing on the memories.

The large panda thought for a moment, before sighing. He was already bringing Klara along with him, so what harm would one more guest make? He looked up, "Alright, I guess it would be cruel to make you fly back." Li stood up, stretched, and began trekking down the path. Klara, noticing Li leaving, grabbed her bundle of wildflowers, skipped along with him.

Po's head shot up, "Wait, Dad, you can fly?!" The surprise and shock in his voice were almost tangible.

Mr. Ping moved to join Li and Klara, and didn't even look at Po when he responded, "I'm a bird, Po."

.

In the Jade Palace

.

Everyone looked at Tigress in surprise as she read the contents of the message.

"Huo is arriving tomorrow morning." She concluded.

It had only been a few months since Huo began his training. Every month, Shui would send Huo- with an escort- to the palace for two weeks of training. After those two weeks were over, the escort, whether it was Ri Chu, Wan, or any of the other wolves, would bring him back home until his next two weeks of training had commenced.

Shifu would have preferred to have Huo have longer stays at the Palace- Kung Fu was learned best if it was consistently practiced daily, but Shui wanted to keep Huo at the wolf village to be able to teach him the ways of the pack. So the two decided on two weeks at the palace, two weeks at home.

"Is there any way we can send him back to the village? He won't be safe with Kai coming." Viper said nervously.

Tigress scanned the scroll, "Ri Chu will be with him."

Shifu spoke up, "Tigress, you are Huo's godmother. You will be responsible for keeping him safe until the threat of Kai has passed. Until then, send a letter to Shui informing her of Kai."

"What if she wants Huo back?" Monkey asked, taking a bite of his pirogi.

"Shui doesn't know about Kai, yet, does she?" Viper asked.

"I'm sorry, but," Tai Lung interrupted, "who is Huo?" He glanced around. Mantis turned away from his pierogi- which was almost bigger than he was- and answered,

"What happened to you spying on us from the Spirit Realm?" He asked sarcastically.

The leopard flicked his tail, "I told you, I only watched over Leo to make sure he was safe. I didn't meddle in anyone else's business. Besides, I did other things in the Spirit Realm other than watching Leo."

"Like lose to Kai?" Mantis snickered under his breath.

"Can you stop?" Tai asked, irritated. Mantis didn't say anything else, but he had a mischievous smirk on his face that said he wasn't finished.

Leo took his turn to speak, "Huo is the son of Shui, who is the leader of the wolf pack that followed under Shen. Now that Shen is dead, they live in a village not too far from here."

"Thank you, Leo, for answering my question," Tai said with gusto.

Mantis rolled his eyes, and Shifu spoke up,

"If Huo is arriving, then we will just have to teach him chi as well." He then added, "Although, I don't know if he is strong enough to do anything with it yet."

A palace attendant entered the dining room with a scroll and quill for Tigress. She began writing to Shui, telling her that Kai was coming and that she, as well as the rest of the Jade Palace warriors, would do their best to protect Huo and that the wolf pack should be ready for anything should Kai or his Jombies come to their village.

After dinner, everyone went their separate ways. Tigress began getting Huo's room ready; it was nothing special, just a room on the second floor of the dorms, right above Tigress's room. Huo loved Tigress and would follow her around everywhere. Tigress never said anything, but secretly she adored having the little wolf pup follow her like a shadow.

The rest of the Five went to bed, and Master Shifu went to the Scroll Archives to try and find any scrolls that had chi techniques easy enough to teach a four-year-old. Tai Lung went to the Training Hall, intent on playing around with the new and improved obstacles. Leo followed him there.

"So," Tai asked, looking at the Dark Room, "it's just a room with the curtains drawn?"

"Yup. It's harder than it looks. You don't realize how much you rely on your sight until you have to fight in the dark." The lion commented. Tai shrugged and pushed through the blackout curtains.

"Wow. It is dark in here." Tai said. He couldn't even see his whiskers. He held out one paw to feel for any walls, tables, anything to help him get a feel for the area.

Leo, remembering what Shifu had done the first time he had entered the Dark Room, silently slid past the curtains. He circled Tai. Before he could even land a front kick to the leopard's chest, Tai blocked the lion's leg and fell into a sparring stance,

"Come on, Leo, I spent twenty years in a dark, cold prison. You didn't honestly think I have no awareness in the dark, did you?" Tai chuckled,

"Well, let's see how good that awareness is, brother." Leo challenged.

The two cats began sparring. Leo's ears picked up everything, whether it was the whoosh of Tai rearing his paw for a punch, the thump of their feet hitting the floor, or the swish of fur as they moved around the Dark Room.

"Seriously, Tai," Leo taunted, "what have you been doing in the Spirit Realm? Lazing around eating and watching me all day?" He asked, throwing a jab-cross to the leopard.

Tai growled heartily, "I think what you mean is," Tai blocked his punches, and countered with a front kick, "training with Master Oogway!"

As Leo and Tai continued sparring, light entered the Dark Room, causing both cats to stop and look to see who opened the curtains. Master Shifu stood there, watching the two spar. He had a proud grin on his face.

"Care to join?" Leo invited with a flick of his tail. Shifu smiled,

"Spar with my first two students?" He thought for a moment. "I would love-"

"No, it's fine," Tai said abruptly, "Leo and I can spar just fine by ourselves." The leopard sent a pointed glance at Leo. Leo looked at him, confused. Why did Tai not want to spar with Shifu?

Shifu's eyes widened slightly at Tai Lung's abrasiveness but then he spoke after a moment with a dejected sigh, "It's getting late anyhow. We need to rest and get ready for Kai. Both of you get to bed."

The two cats exited the Dark Room, and Leo escorted Tai to the dorms to show him the new rooms and where he would be sleeping. Shifu watched them go, a solemn look on his face. He would have loved to spar with them and see how much Tai had grown in the Spirit Realm, except Tai didn't seem to want anything to do with him. He gently rubbed the fabric of the curtain absentmindedly.

He needed to find a way to get Tai to trust him again before Kai arrived.

.

The next morning

.

Tigress was up bright and early the next morning, which was nothing new. On any normal day, Tigress would spend several hours in the training hall, moving between obstacles and taking turns sparring with Master Leo or Master Shifu, take a quick lunch and meditation break, then it would be back to training.

But that was on a normal day. Today was the day Huo arrived. Don't get her wrong, Tigress' life hasn't been uprooted by Huo's presence in the Palace, but having a four-year-old follow you around certainly takes up time in your schedule.

After taking breakfast to-go, Tigress raced down to the docks at the edge of the Valley of Peace. Many villagers greeted her as she ran past, and Tigress did her best to nod in their direction, but she was on a mission. She made it to the river and skidded to a halt. She scanned the docks for a particular boat: a small dinghy-like wooden boat with a dark, ocean-blue sail, made by Shui herself. It was the boat that Huo came to and from the Palace in.

But the only boats arriving at the docks were merchants, importing goods for their shops. Tigress flicked her tail. So, what else to do other than wait? She found a nearby bench in the shade and sat down, her eyes locked on the bend in the river where the familiar boat should soon turn the corner of the mountain.

A figure approached next to her, "May I join you?" Tigress looked up and saw Tai Lung standing there, glancing at her nervously.

"No." She scooted to the far edge of the bench.

Regardless, Tai still sat down on the other end of the bench. He crossed his legs and rested his arms on the back of the bench, "So, are we waiting for Huo?"

"I am waiting for Huo. You should go back to the Palace before the villagers see you."

Tai took a sidelong glance at her, and spoke, "Leo said I should join you. He said it would be a good idea to..um.." He cleared his throat, "help our relationship." He stared ahead, not looking at her.

Tigress pinned her ears to her head and flicked her tail in annoyance. Curse Leo and his constant need for making everyone want to get along. She glared at the river bend, willing the boat to appear so she could take Huo and get away from Tai.

"I still don't trust you. I have no reason to." She growled.

Tai nodded in understanding, "That's fair."

"You killed my brother." Tigress continued.

"Well, that, I didn't mean to do- wait." Tai stopped himself, "Leo is my brother. Shifu raised us together." An idea popped into the leopard's head, and he suddenly smirked, "I guess that makes us brother and sister."

With an angry growl, Tigress turned to glare at Tai, "Don't ever call me your sister again."

An amused grin on his face, Tai held up his paws, "Hey, I mean, it's the truth." Tai, despite the tiger's threat, wasn't scared of her in the slightest. He had beat her in combat before, and, though he wouldn't do it here, could probably beat her again if he tried.

Tigress felt her body tense and her claws unsheathe. Tai Lung was still a villain to her, even if Leo trusted him.

She closed her eyes and took several deep breaths. It wouldn't do her any good if Huo saw her like this- riled up and angry. After relaxing, she opened her eyes and turned back to Tai, "If you want to stay here, fine, but if you so much as touch Huo, you're going back to the Spirit Realm." She said, calmly.

Tai held up his paws, "That's ok, but if you keep on threatening me like this, you won't notice the boat being docked behind you." He pointed a large finger over her shoulder.

Tigress turned and saw the transport boat was being docked. The blue sail was folded in and Ri Chu, the brown she-wolf who was there for Huo's birth, had hopped out and tied the boat to a post.

With a smile, Tigress approached. She didn't even look to make sure Tai was following her. Ri Chu saw her approaching and waved happily, "Good morning, Tigress!"

"Good morning," The tiger nodded in greeting. Tigress stepped near the edge of the dock and looked into the boat.

Sitting on the edge of the boat, staring into the water, was little Huo. The dark grey pup's tail was wagging eagerly as he watched the fish in the water.

"Good morning, Huo," Tigress called to him.

At the sound of his name being called, Huo turned. He saw Tigress, and his ruby-red eyes brightened.

"Tigress!" He squealed happily. He ran to the edge of the boat, holding up his paws to be lifted out. Tigress smiled and picked him up, placing him delicately on the docks.

"How are you doing, Huo?" She asked, a grin on her face. Huo held her large paw and the two walked towards the land, where Tai was watching from the bench.

"Good. Mama said I could learn how to do a jump kick!" Huo grinned toothily. Tigress smiled and turned to look at Ri Chu,

"Ri, there is something you need to know." She said quietly, so the pup wouldn't hear.

The brown wolf, after securing the boat to a post, turned and looked at Tigress, "What is it?"

"There is a villain, Kai, who is coming. I've sent word to Shui about it, but we fear he is more powerful than Shen."

At those words, Ri Chu's hackles rose. Whether from fear of the new threat or anger at the mention of Shen's name, Tigress didn't know. But Tigress continued, "I promise I will keep Huo safe, but I think it might be best for you to return to the pack, just until Kai is defeated."

Ri Chu's eyes narrowed as she thought over this. Usually, she would stay with Huo in the Jade Palace so he didn't get homesick and to take him home once his session was complete, but now, with Kai on the rise, she knew the pack would need help.

"We haven't had anything out of the ordinary happen, but if what you're saying is true, it would be best to stick with the pack." Ri Chu took a deep breath as she thought over her next move. With a resolute huff, she looked at the boat then to Tigress, "Tigress, I trust you, and so does Shui. Don't let anything happen to him." Ri Chu emphasized.

"I promise." Tigress smiled, looking down at Huo, who wasn't holding her hand. He wasn't by her side at all!

Alarm spiked in Tigress' heart, and she looked around, only to see him sitting beside Tai Lung on the bench in the shade. The young wolf was talking to Tai while fiddling with his fingers, while the leopard was smirking and looking smugly at Tigress, almost as if he were saying 'Not my fault he likes me!' What made Tigress angry was that Huo and Tai's sides were brushing together, almost as if they had been friends for years.

With an angry lash of her tail, Tigress turned to Ri Chu, "Tell Shui we will take great care of Huo."

"Will do, Master Tigress. I'll also tell Shui you said hello." Ri Chu nodded and began untying the boat. Tigress left Ri Chu to sail home, and the tiger marched over to Tai and Huo.

"Hi, Tigress! Tai-Tai said he can teach me how to learn...um.." Huo grew quiet for a moment, then spoke up, "he can teach me chi!"

"Tai-Tai?" Tigress asked, her teeth clenched in a fake smile. Huo grinned and wagged his tail. Tai Lung smirked and shrugged,

"I guess he likes me."

Tigress narrowed her eyes and took Huo's paw, leading him away from the leopard. Tai Lung got up and fell into step beside Huo. Huo, seeing the two cats flanking him, reached out for Tai's hand, and began holding it, so both of his paws were being held.

Tai smiled and began to swing Huo by his arm.

"Weee! Higher Tai-Tai!" The pup howled happily, his feet flying forward.

Tigress glared spitefully at Tai Lung. Huo was supposed to be her godson, not Tai Lungs! The leopard smirked knowingly at her, "Now now, Tigress, don't get mad in front of the child." He said, in a fake-stern voice, while swinging Huo.

She didn't say anything but tried to calm herself down. When they had climbed back to the palace, Huo's little pink tongue was lolling out of his mouth, and his fluffy tail was dragging behind him.

"Can we eat breakfast, now?" Huo panted.

"Of course," Tigress said.

Tigress and Huo entered the dining room, where warm bowls of stew were sitting waiting for them. Tigress placed Huo in his seat, and looked at Tai Lung, "Are you trying to prove something?" She asked as Tai sat down across from Huo.

Tai Lung looked at Tigress, "I'm just trying to build our relationship, as Leo suggested. You're the one acting difficult." He gulped a spoonful of his breakfast.

"I'm not being difficult. You're being obnoxious."

"By trying to bond with the child?" Tai asked, an eyebrow raised.

"I like Tai-Tai!" Huo said, loudly, "His fur is soft!" He squealed, eating some of his stew.

"He likes me. I don't know why you're being so harsh."

"It's because you killed Leo, crippled Shifu," Tigress held up her fingers to begin counting, "defaced the Hall of Warriors, need I go on?"

"No," Tai Lung growled, "because that was in the past." Tai Lung's ears flicked angrily, "I know what I did was wrong, and I acknowledge that Po is the Dragon Warrior. There, I said it. Po is the Dragon Warrior. I'm not. Are you happy?" Tai Lung angrily swallowed a spoonful of stew.

Tigress flicked her tail, "I'm not unhappy."

Tai Lung flicked his ear, and grabbed his bowl, lifting it to his lips and gulping it all. Right as he placed his bowl down, the rest of the Jade Palace residents, including Shifu and Leo Lung, entered the kitchen. They caught sight of Huo, and they all smiled, saying their 'hellos' and 'good mornings'.

Huo beamed as everyone greeted him. Although he had arrived at the Palace many times, he loved the morning he arrived, because everyone would be excited to see him and teach him Kung Fu.

Leo sat down next to Tai Lung, "So, Tai," he asked, "how are you and Tigress getting along?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Authors Note: Huo is here! Not a moment too soon! And it looks like Tai Lung is taking his job as big brother seriously!
> 
> Good news and bad news. Bad news first: I will have to start releasing chapters every other Saturday, instead of every Saturday. This way, I will be able to properly write and proofread every chapter without having to stress about not meeting the weekly deadline without feeling like the chapter is rushed.
> 
> The good news is, to substitute for the delayed releasing of chapters, I will have previews at the end of every chapter now. This preview will be one line of dialogue pulled from the next chapter. It won't give away any major spoilers, and I won't say who says the dialogue, but it will hopefully be enough to keep you guys engaged! My worst fear with this fanfiction is having you guys get tired of the story, after all!
> 
> Preview of Chapter 9:
> 
> "Oooooh. I'm so scared. Do you see me shaking, here? I'm trembling!"
> 
> Hmm. If you guys have anything to make of this, let's see it in the reviews! Do you think you know who says it, or what circumstance? And (as always) be sure to leave a bookmark and kudos if you haven't already! See you guys on July 25!


	9. The Panda Village

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Milu tells Shifu a little bit about his past, Crane and Mantis begin their journey to track down the Jombies, and Po, Klara, Mr. Ping, and Li arrive in the Panda Village.

As the sun began to set on a long day of chi training, Shifu was staring quietly out at the village down below. He was deep in thought. The Sacred Peach Tree hummed quietly with the gentle dusk wind. He heard footsteps clicking behind him as someone ascended the stairs.

One of Shifu's ears swiveled behind him, but he didn't look to see who it was. Heavy footsteps thumped on the grass, growing closer until Milu sat down next to him.

Shifu had never seen Milu come up to the Sacred Peach Tree before now, and he stared at him, slightly bewildered. Milu, noticing the red panda's quieter-than-usual silence, stared sideways at him, "What is the matter, little panda?"

"I.." Shifu started, "It's just you never come up here. You usually stay in the palace."

Milu shrugged, turning his gaze to look out over the Valley, "I just miss my family. I wonder if I did the right thing by sending Klara away, and making Elena stay in the village."

Shifu nodded in understanding, "You did the right thing; you just want to keep them safe."

Milu nodded, a smile on his muzzle. A light breeze blew past the two, and Milu lifted his head as the gust blew through his fur. He spoke softly, "Sometimes I feel like I can hear them, their voices, on the passing wind. It makes me remember I did this to protect them."

The two fell into a comfortable silence after that. They watched the sunset, and the stars beginning their nightly dance in the darkening sky above. Milu smiled and spoke quietly, "If I knew how peaceful it was up here, I would spend every evening here with Elena and Klara." He closed his eyes wistfully.

Shifu began thinking. Lowering his gaze, he stared at his hands for a while, and a question formed in his head. He turned his head to Milu, "Milu, I know you don't prefer fighting, but do you know any chi? At all?"

Milu blinked as he let Shifu's words register. With a slow nod, he spoke, "When I was in Tibet, I stayed with a village of goat monks. It was a terribly cold winter. Many of them were deathly ill and didn't have the strength to heal themselves using chi. I drained all of my medicine trying to cure them, but nothing would work. I had no other choice but to turn to chi." The wapiti spoke slowly,

"So they taught me. It was...draining, to say the least. They taught me the basics, and I taught myself from there. But after several weeks I managed to heal them all using the techniques they taught me." Milu went quiet for a moment, "But I caught the disease that was plaguing them. They implored me to use chi to heal myself."

Shifu's eyes were wide as he listened to the story. Milu continued, "I was stubborn. I didn't want to have to resort to the power of chi to heal myself. I believed that I would be fine if I simply conjured up some more of my medicine. I tried exercise, eating as healthy as I could in a village of monks, but nothing would work. So..I tried chi. I spent hours sitting in a room, meditating, building up my chi. Then, one evening, I did it. I simply willed my body to heal, and it did. I walked out of there a new wapiti."

It felt foreign compared to the medicine I am used to. But I can't argue with what had happened. I had been healed. So, to answer your question, yes, I can use chi." Milu then quickly added on, "I rarely use chi, though. I prefer...traditional medicine. But," Milu nodded, "I'm familiar with it."

"So you can use chi to heal?" Shifu asked, his ears perked forward with interest, "You should have said so earlier." Shifu emphasized.

"I don't know how to use chi to fight, Shifu." Milu said, "What use would I be against Kai? Heal him to death?" The wapiti shook his head. "Don't be silly."

"We can teach you-"

"No." Milu said resolutely, "With all due respect, Shifu, I heard how chi training went yesterday. If it can knock all of the stamina out of Leo Lung or Tigress or even you in a matter of minutes, how am I supposed to do it when I am not even a Kung Fu Warrior? I'm not getting any younger. It took me nearly a week to be able to even summon chi at the drop of a hat, and that was when I was in my prime. Using chi to fight..." The wapiti shook his head, his antlers swinging back and forth, "I will leave that to the experts."

Shifu frowned. He had a point. Although Shifu learned to be humble and admit when others were right, he still hated that Milu had laid the truth out in front of him like that. Shifu narrowed his eyes to try to find a solution, but Milu spoke up, pointing to the sky, which was beginning to darken to an inky blue,

"The trail Kai's minions left is still there." He pointed with a hoof. Shifu looked up. Thin, dark green streaks, like smoke, lingered in the air. They rose from Mr. Ping's noodle shop- where the battle had ended- and headed northward.

Shifu narrowed his eyes as he followed the trail. It led over the horizon.

"We need to track them."

.

Early the next morning

.

Before the sun had even started to peek its rays over the distant mountains, Shifu had called a meeting in the conference room. Still rubbing the sleep from their eyes, the Furious Five and the Lung Brothers shuffled quietly into the room.

"The sun hasn't even risen yet," Crane grumbled.

Ignoring Crane's comment, Shifu spoke, "I've spent several hours meditating on this," Shifu said. The fur under his eyes was slightly darker than usual, and he was pacing in front of the window. "We need to track Kai's Jombies before that trail fades. It could be our chance to find out where Kai is and how long we have until he arrives." He stopped and looked out the window, his eyes tracing the jade streaks across the sky.

"I'll go!" Tai Lung said suddenly and loudly, slamming his paw on the table; everyone was startled awake after the cat's outburst.

Shifu stopped and looked at him, "No, Tai Lung, I'm sending Crane."

"What?!" Crane and Tai expressed at the same time, "Is it because I talked?" Crane said.

"No, it's because you can fly. And Tai, I'm not sending you because we mustn't engage. The only way to beat Kai is to become a master of chi, which you aren't. This is only a surveillance mission." Shifu said, stomping his staff on the ground for emphasis.

Tai's ears pinned to his head. Leo lay a comforting hand on Tai's arm, mouthing that it's for the best. Mantis, on the other hand, chuckled, "Should've just kept your mouth shut." He taunted quietly. Tai snarled at him, but Leo shook his head at the leopard. Mantis saw that and smirked knowingly.

Shifu heard him, and spoke, "Crane, take Mantis too."

"What?! Is it because I-"

"Yes." Shifu cut him off. "Go, now, before the sun rises and the trail fades in the light. For the rest of you, training begins in two hours. Dismissed."

Mantis rolled his eyes, and hopped onto Crane's hat, "It's just a surveillance mission. We'll be fine."

Crane, who walked out of the conference room and towards the exit, looked up at Mantis, "If Kai gets stronger for every master he beats, he could be unstoppable."

"Ooh, I'm so scared." Mantis said, holding onto Crane's hat as he took flight, "Do you see me trembling here? I'm shaking!"

"Mantis, just stop."

.

That afternoon, in the mountains

.

It was supposed to be several hours past noon, but nobody would know it by the dense fog that had settled in the snowy mountains.

Li Shan was used to it and walked as if he knew where he was going. His stride was confident, and he used subtle marks in the landscape- a rock in the middle of a stream, a dead tree with the branches twisted just so, or a hollowed-out stump with a weird mushroom growing inside- to find his way.

Mr. Ping, Po, and Klara, however, followed each other in a single file line- fears of getting lost in the dense fog were real. Li, at the front of the line, could say something to the animals behind him, but the dense fog could silence him. Klara, who was at the back of the line clutching her wilting wildflowers, wouldn't even be able to hear Li unless he shouted.

Po was more than ecstatic to arrive at the village. But, despite his excitement, doubts lingered in his mind. What if it wasn't what Li had hyped it up to be? What if, since they weren't pandas, Mr. Ping and Klara were turned away and not welcomed? Did the pandas at the village hold the same grudge against the wolves that his father had?

But those lingering thoughts were subdued as Li stopped at the base of a mountain. Klara, Po, and Mr. Ping glanced about, searching for a staircase. But Li said nothing. Mr. Ping, with a happy grin, spoke,

"Well, it looks like a long way up. And Po hates stairs. Guess we better turn around and go back."

Just as Mr. Ping turned around, Li spoke, "We are pandas. We don't do stairs." He grabbed a rope out of the snow and pulled. A lift suddenly materialized under the four traveler's feet. Klara gasped in surprise as all of them were lifted into the air.

"Rats..." Mr. Ping grumbled under his breath.

As they reached the top of the mountain, Li turned to his three guests, "We're here." He said proudly. Everyone stepped off the lift and looked around expectantly.

Klara looked around, but all she could see was the dense fog. It was kind of underwhelming to have trekked all this way. Mr. Ping thought the same, "This is your village? No wonder you keep it a secret. If I lived here, I wouldn't tell anyone either."

If Li heard Mr. Ping's comment, he didn't acknowledge it. He turned to Po, "Now you can 'Woah.'" He said, a grin on his muzzle.

"Woah..." Po said, placing down his backpack.

The dense fog lifted as the sun shone from behind a nearby mountain. Klara shielded her eyes from the sudden brightness but gasped in awe of the village before her.

If Klara had to describe the village in two words, it would be 'beautiful' and 'vibrant'. Tall trees stretched towards the clouds. Vivid green grass grew, covering the entire mountainscape. Flowers of all shapes, sizes, and colors poked out of the grass in bushels, causing Klara to drop her handful of wilting wildflowers in awe. A waterfall behind the village fed into a clear blue stream cut delicately through the village, the water rippling and glistening in the light. And that was just nature.

The homes, amazing works of creative architecture, were nothing like the crowded, one-story homes she saw in the Valley of Peace. An elegant wooden bridge rose above the stream. A waterwheel was attached to one of the houses, spinning gently as the stream powered it.

And then there were the pandas. They were everywhere! Some were walking around peacefully. Farmers carried wagons of their latest crop. Children flew elaborate kites while other panda cubs chased them. Klara, who had never even seen a kite, let alone flown one, felt her jaw drop. Her feet itched to go join the other children in play.

Po had a huge grin on his face. He looked around, gladly drinking all of this in. For the first time in his life, he was looking at other real, live pandas! He felt tears prick his eyes as the sun beamed on him, warming his fur.

In the distance, several pandas noticed Li's return: "Look, everyone! Li's back!" Everyone turned and gazed at the Li and the three newcomers. Po hesitated. He thought the pandas would see Mr. Ping and Klara and reject them for not being pandas. But, instead of turning them away, the pandas all gasped in happiness and rushed towards them.

"He's back! He found his son! They're both back!" The villagers cheered. They crowded and began to run as fast as they could towards the four. Po felt the joy bubbling up in him. Then, suddenly, as the villagers were running towards them, they stopped and doubled over, panting from the effort of running.

Po's eyes widened, and he tilted his head, confused until the pandas gathered their breath and started running again. They began to crowd around the Li and the three newcomers. Klara, rightfully overwhelmed by the sudden swarming of giant pandas who towered over her, pinned her ears to her head and hid near Mr. Ping, who patted her hoof comfortingly.

Li spoke broadly, "Everyone, gather around! This is my son!" He cheered, patting Po proudly on the back. Mr. Ping acted like he didn't hear that. Everyone began greeting Po.

"Woah, triplets!" Po said, as three panda cubs began climbing his shoulders,

"Hi, I'm Ku Ku!" The first one said.

"I'm Meng Meng." Said the girl.

"I'm Shuai Shuai!" Said the last, "Your fur is soft." He said, rubbing his face against Po's fur.

"He smells like cookies!" Meng Meng stated, sniffing Po's ear.

"Woah, hey!" Po laughed good-naturedly, gently lifted the panda cubs off of him

"He's so handsome!" A female elderly panda waddled forward, pinching Po's cheek, "Just like his father!" She complimented.

"Oh, thank you!" Mr. Ping said, surprising several of the pandas. Li turned Po away from Mr. Ping, gesturing towards two pandas approaching him,

"Son, these are your cousins: Dim and Sum!"

"I have cousins?!" Po exclaimed happily. Li nodded, and Dim and Sum- who were probably twins themselves- spoke up.

"Welcome!" Dim said,

"Welcome!" Sum exclaimed, placing a necklace of buns around Po's neck. Po stared at the necklace in awe.

"Woah..."

"We call it a snacklace!" Said Sum. Then, as if he couldn't hold himself back any longer, Dim, Sum, and several other pandas lunged at Po- or rather, Po's snacklace. In less than two seconds, the pandas leaned back, revealing all of the buns were gone and only the string was left. Sum stared at it, then laughed, "Ah, we'll get you a new one!"

A large, burly panda waddled through the crowd, heading straight towards Po. The panda opened his arms wide, engulfing Po in a huge bear hug, "Oh! It's you!" He said, squeezing and lifting Po off the ground. Po hugged him back,

"That's nice, hi!" He said, feeling the muscles in his back and side pop.

"I don't know who you are." Said the panda, letting Po down.

Ignoring what the panda said, Po looked around, gleefully. He saw a baby panda, probably no more than two years old, staring up at him.

"You look like me, but a baby.." He noted. He turned and looked around, and saw Grandmother Panda staring at him happily, "You look like me, but older!" Po said, choosing his words carefully. Spinning, he saw the same panda who picked him up, and noticed his large belly: "You're like me, but fatter!" The other panda grabbed the sides of his stomach happily. Po turned around, and saw another panda, "You're like me but-" The panda laughed suddenly, revealing several missing teeth, causing Po to visibly cringe, "with a hat!" He said, pointing to the wok the toothless panda was wearing.

Po, looking around, felt a revelation open itself up as he reveled in his newfound joy as the pandas around him cheered and welcomed him to the village: "You all look like me..."

"Let's have a feast in my son's honor!" Li shouted. The villagers cheered, and suddenly rolled away! Klara, Po, and Mr. Ping watched in surprise as the pandas curled themselves into balls and rolled down the hill.

"What the-?" Po watched in confusion.

"Pandas don't walk!" Li said, "We roll!" Li then tossed an arm forward and threw himself down the hill, curling into a ball.

Mr. Ping scoffed at Klara, "Have you ever seen someone look so ridiculous?" He asked the fawn. He looked over at Po, only to see him scooting forward on the ground, getting ready to roll himself! "Po?!" Mr. Ping exclaimed, "What are you doing?!"

"I'm gonna roll!" Po said. He started rolling on his side down the hill. Klara watched in amusement, holding in her laughter every time Po hit a rock or tree. He had no clue how to roll, but Klara and Mr. Ping followed him down the hill.

Po kept on rolling- tumbling might've been a better word- until he reached a long table with a feast laid out across. He landed right between his dad and another panda. Mr. Ping and Klara joined on the other side of the table, facing Po.

"You're right, that is better than rolling." Po chuckled, the air knocked out of him.

Ku Ku looked at him, "What kind of panda doesn't know how to roll?" He asked.

"Well, I am kind of new this whole 'being a panda thing."

"And what kind of a panda are you? You have a funny neck." Shuai Shuai looked at Mr. Ping. He turned to looked at Klara, "And your ears are big!"

"I'm not a panda." Mr. Ping said. But Klara perked up, a smile on her muzzle,

"I'm a wapiti! I'm from Russia!" She said. At least, that's what Elena taught her to say.

"A what-pity?" Meng Meng asked, "And where is Rush-a?"

"Wapiti." Mr. Ping clarified. "Here, Po, Klara, I packed your all's chopsticks." He gave a pair of chopsticks to both Po and Klara.

"Woah..." All of the pandas leaned in curiously, "What are those for?" Meng Meng asked.

"These?" Po asked, "These are chopsticks, they're for picking up dumplings!" He said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

Ku Ku tilted his head, "You mean you only eat one at a time?" He asked, shoving a fistful of dumplings into his mouth.

Looking around, Po spotted that none of the other pandas were using chopsticks, not even his dad! They were eating entire handfuls at a time, and sometimes they didn't even stop to chew!

The world seemed to open up to Po and he dropped his chopsticks in glee, "I knew I wasn't eating up to my potential!"

Musicians, sitting near the table, began playing music. Everybody looked over, and Li smiled,

"Looks like the show is starting!" He shoved several dumplings in his mouth.

Two dancers waved parasols, moving them to the side to reveal the main actress, "I..." she whispered, "am Mei Mei!" She was a large panda waving several red ribbons. Klara, Po, Mr. Ping, and the rest of the pandas watched, entranced, as she spoke, "Wow...she's so amazing," Mei Mei whispered to herself, "She's so beautiful!" She whispered behind her paper fan.

With a flick of her wrist, Mei Mei shut the fan, "That's sweet, Po, but please save all compliments until after the performance." She smiled. Po cocked an eyebrow, confused,

"What? I didn't say anything-"

"Shhh-Shut it!" Mei Mei said, holding up her hand in emphasis, "After the performance!"

"Has it even started, yet?" Mr. Ping asked Klara quietly, who shrugged.

With a near-violent slap of her ribbon, Mei Mei woke up two sleeping musicians. They began to play music as Mei Mei began to dance and swirl her ribbon, "Best ribbon dancer in the world!" Li said, "At least, that's what she tells us." Klara watched in awe, her eyes following the spontaneous twists and turns of the ribbons.

"Look away! Look away! But no! You can't, can you?" Mei Mei said, glancing at Po.

Po shifted, "Why does she keep staring at me like-" When Po turned to look at her, Mei Mei was dancing right in front of him, "that?"

"Try and keep up!" Mei Mei winked. She wrapped her two ribbons around Po, pulling him up onto the stage.

Klara laughed. Watching Po try and talk his way out of it, while Mei Mei ruthlessly flirted with him, was the funniest thing the little fawn had ever seen. She nearly choked on her dumpling as tears streaked down her cheeks. The rest of the panda villagers, especially Ku Ku, Shuai Shuai, and Meng Meng, laughed along with her.

"Help me, Dads!" Po cried,

"Yeah, no, you're on your own." Li laughed, shaking his head. He knew better than to come between Mei Mei and whomever she would be messing with that day.

"You're doing great son!" Mr. Ping cheered. Klara clapped her hooves in approval. Even when Mei Mei gave Po the ribbon to try, he whipped it around like a sword, hitting several musicians in the face, tripping himself up, and whacking himself in the face with it. With a smug grin, the dancer took back the ribbon and wrapped Po up, effortlessly lifting him above her head and tossing him rather gracefully to the feasting table, much to the applause and cheering of the villagers.

"That was so funny!" Klara praised, wiping a tear from her cheek.

"Yay, Po!" Mr. Ping cheered.

"Don't worry, you'll get the hang of it," Li said, patting Po on the head.

Po on the other hand, although he would admit he didn't do so well, was all smiles. He laughed as he retook his place at the dinner table, between Li and Mr. Ping, "I have so much to learn!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Authors Note: Po does indeed have a lot to learn! Although this chapter is nearly 4,000 words (3,995 words, exactly)long, it's more peaceful and has no battles. That is because originally I planned on having this chapter and the next chapter be combined into one, but it would have ended up being over 8,000 words! There is a lot of action in the next chapter to make up for this one being the calm before the storm. Let's have a preview, shall we?
> 
> "Next time, do your own fighting!"
> 
> Now, who says that I wonder? The answer might surprise you! Be sure to favorite, follow, and leave a review! Positive feedback helps motivate me better than most anything else! Thank you so much for supporting the story! See you guys soon.


	10. The New King

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! It's good to see y'all again. Hope everything is going well. I knew I wanted to write a chapter like this, but when writing it I had a few doubts about how it would turn out. I've been making a lot of changes to it as I wrote it, but when I finished I was somewhat satisfied with the end result. There will be a lot of fights and this chapter will be very fast-paced. I hope you guys like it.

Many miles north of the Valley  
.

Crane and Mantis had been flying all day, following the smoky jade trail that the Jombies had left behind. They were flying over a deserted lake. Sand, rocks, sand, dead vegetation, and sand extended as far as Crane could see. He narrowed his eyes, trying to find anything of interest.

"Wings of surveillance!" Crane announced, soaring the air. On top of his hat, Mantis commented,

"How come every time you do something you say 'Wings of?'" He asked, "It doesn't make you do anything special. You're not doing any special move or anything. It's like me saying Antenna of Power! Or Thorax of Making Sandwiches. Or something else."

Crane glared up at Mantis, "Is everything ok?" He asked, flapping his wings to maintain his height, "Ever since Tai Lung returned, you've been making fun of him. Don't you think that's kind of...well...dangerous?" Crane asked.

Mantis laughed, "No way. It's fun seeing him get riled up. Like this morning! He totally looked like he was going to attack until Master Leo put the muzzle on him. Metaphorically."

Crane went quiet. Mantis suddenly tapped rapidly on Crane's hat with his claw, "Look! Down there!"

Down in the sand, Crane saw three creatures moving quickly in the same direction. For a moment, alarm spiked in Crane's body, thinking they were Jombies. But, upon closer inspection, he saw that they were Kung Fu Masters, just like Mantis and him. Crane swooped down towards them and saw it was Masters Croc, Bear, and Chicken.

"Masters! What are you doing here?" He called to them, soaring above the trio. Master Chicken spoke without breaking stride,

"Jade creatures attacked our village! We've tracked them here!" He clucked. His talons dug into the sand as he ran.

"Stop!" Master Bear roared, skidding to a halt. Crane landed beside Master Croc, whom he remembered from Gongmen City.

Ahead of the five masters stood an abandoned ship. A massive hole was blown into its hull, revealing a tell-tale sign of how the ship went down. The sails were torn to shreds and the wood smelled of rot.

"They must be in there.." Master Bear said. He narrowed his eyes and his nose twitched. He looked like he was ready to charge in without a second thought. Crane held out his wings.

"Wait! The Sacred Scroll of Oogway says that only a master of chi can beat Kai!" He exclaimed.

"Master of Chi?" Croc asked. He looked at Crane and Mantis curiously.

"Yeah!" Mantis exclaimed, "Unless you're a master of chi we can't beat him; that's how powerful he is!" The insect said from atop Crane's hat.

Chicken, Croc, and Bear glanced at each other, obviously thinking over their next moves. Then Master Bear growled, "The least we can do is give him a fight. All of us should go in there at the same time to try and overwhelm him!"

Crane gulped, "Umm...I don't think-" He was cut off as Bear roared, and charged into the broken hull of the ship, his axes waving. Croc and Chicken eagerly followed.

Mantis spoke, "Come on! We need to back them up!"

With a nervous shudder, Crane took off with a flap of his wings. He followed the three masters into the ship, where they were all standing back to back, facing outward.

The inside of the ship was dark- the only light came from outside. Empty boxes and barrels were scattered and strewn about. A shudder of fear ran up Crane's spine. Crane approached Master Croc, who was scanning the ship, "See anything?"

"No. It's too dark-"

"Look out!" Master Chicken crowed.

A jade sword attached to a chain came flying at the five masters. The masters scattered- Croc and Bear leaped to the left and ducked behind some boxes, Chicken ducked behind a barrel, and Crane, with Mantis on his hat, leaped above the sword, then ducked behind a wall.

The sword lodged into a barrel behind them. It could have easily beheaded any of the warriors if Master Chicken hadn't alerted them. The chain that was attached to the hilt of the sword tightened and was yanked backward. It flew into a sharp hoof, and Crane watched in terror as a massive thing emerged from the shadows,

"Come out, come out, where ever you are..." Kai taunted. Mantis peeked past the wall. His eyes widened and he rushed back to Crane,

"That guy is huge!" He whispered to Crane, perching on his shoulder. Crane nodded in agreement, then whispered back,

"We need to use chi to stop him." Crane heard Kai's heavy footsteps. He felt the ground tremble underneath him. Kai was coming closer.

"Charge!" A sudden roar spooked the Jade Palace Warriors. Crane slowly peeked around the corner of the wall and saw Chicken, Croc, and Bear leaping towards Kai. The ox grabbed his Jade swords. The four began battling, with Kai easily driving them back.

"What are they doing?!" Crane gasped. This wasn't going well at all!

"We need to help them! Fear the bug!" Mantis' claws glowed golden as he summoned chi.

"Wait! Mantis!"

While Croc, Bear, and Chicken kept Kai busy, Mantis went straight for Kai's head. Mantis collided claw-first with the back of Kai's head, who gasped at the little bug's power of chi.

Kai staggered forward, his eyes wide and gasping for air. Mantis fell onto a barrel, limp and panting from the effort. He had put everything into that one attack. Crane rushed in, summoning chi as well. He leaped into the air and front kicked Kai, causing the ox to fall onto his knees. Crane felt the energy drain from his body. Putting everything into that one chi attack was comparable to rigorous training all day, on an empty stomach. His legs shook from the effort.

Croc grabbed his sword and put one at the back of Kai's neck. Bear held his two axes against Kai's throat. Chicken grabbed one of Kai's hooves and pressed a knife painfully against his wrist. Croc grabbed Kai's other hoof and pulled it behind his back.

Kai narrowed his eyes and snorted angrily, "Five against one isn't very fair." However, the large ox didn't move, knowing one flinch would likely get him beheaded.

Croc nudged his sword against Kai's scruff, "Neither is attacking Gongmen City- or any city- with jade creatures. Why are you here, anyway?" He hissed.

The bull didn't move, as if thinking over his next words carefully. He spoke, "Destroying the Jade Palace, and everyone and thing in it sound pretty good. Possibly world domination afterward."

Narrowing his eyes, Crane walked over in front of Kai, "You can't destroy the Jade Palace. We've beaten you with the power of chi."

Kai chuckled darkly and glared Crane. Even when he was on his knees held at ax-point, Kai was still terrifying. Crane gulped nervously. Mantis, who had quietly regained his strength, grabbed one of Master Chicken's knives, and, with a final burst of chi, plunged it into Kai's chest.

Crane gasped as Mantis pushed the knife as deep as he could. Croc, Bear, and Chicken watched in amazement as Kai's eyes widened at Mantis' audacity. Liquid, golden chi spattered onto the knife and around the wound. Kai wrenched his hoof out of Master Chicken's grasp and grabbed at Mantis.

"Oh no." The bug squeaked. Squeezing Mantis in one hoof, Kai leaped into action. Taking his hoof out of Croc's claws, Kai grabbed Bear's axes and threw the axes, as well as Bear himself, away from his neck.

Kai was, well, a raging bull. Holding Mantis captive in his left hoof and using his other hoof to grab as many of his pendants as he could. He flicked them onto the ground.

Master Porcupine, the Master Badger Twins, Master Goat, Master Komodo, and Master Boar stood rigid. Crane, Bear, Croc, and Chicken fell into a sparring stance.

"Get them," Kai ordered, his voice hoarse.

The Jombies flew into action. With his minions keeping the rest of the Kung Fu Masters busy, Kai staggered over to a barrel, his eyes looking at the golden-stained knife sticking out of his chest. He gently grabbed the hilt of the blade and pulled. With a pained moan, Kai pulled the knife out. It was slick with chi, and Kai stabbed angrily it into the barrel. Chi slowly leaked out of the wound.

"Mind letting me go so I can help my friends?" Mantis gasped from the clutches of Kai's hoof. He couldn't move- Kai's grip was like a vice.

His breathing labored, Kai raised the bug to his eye level, "I commend your bravery, little bug. Your chi will be of good use to me." With that, Kai sucked the chi out of Mantis. His hooves glowed a light green, and soon Mantis was nothing but a cold, hard, jade pendant in his hoof. He was about to clip the pendant onto his belt, but then an idea popped into his head.

Kai flicked the pendant in front of him, and soon the pendant glowed green. Mantis, who was now a green Jombie, landed on the sandy ground in front of him.

"Bring the bird to me." He said, holding a hoof over his chest to try and stop the bleeding. As Mantis began battling Crane, Kai slouched against a wall. He was getting weaker. Even with the chi of so many masters under his belt, this wound was grave and chi-infused. Kai cursed the audacity of the mortal realm.

Mantis grabbed a hold of Crane's leg and jumped to Kai. Crane trying to wriggle free, but soon he was dragged towards the large ox. Kai's hooves glowed green, and he stole Crane's chi. The bird gave a squawk of terror, but Kai felt no remorse. However, as Crane's chi became his, he still couldn't stop the bleeding on his wound. {Why is this happening?!} He thought to himself. If the bleeding didn't stop, this battle may be his last.

Kai turned Crane against the three remaining masters, whose stamina was beginning to run out. Chicken fell first. Then Croc, then Bear. Kai's Jombies- including Mantis and Crane- fell still as Kai took several deep breaths. However, even with the chi of five new masters conquered, the wound wouldn't stop bleeding.

The ground beneath his hooves, once a sandy brown, turned golden. Kai felt his head begin to spin. His entire chest was stained. He called all of his Jombies back to him, but his strength still faded. {I couldn't have lost. No...} Kai thought as he stumbled forward. His legs gave out and the bull collapsed to the ground.

Was this his end?

Kai fought to keep conscious. But soon, darkness danced at the edge of his vision. His ears began to ring and his vision began to swim.

His vision turned black.

...

Nothing.

...

{This is not how my story was supposed to end.}

...

"And it's not." A voice called from the darkness. "Open your eyes, and stand up."

Kai's eyes flew open. The ground beneath him was no longer chi-stained sand. It was a dark red brick.

Pulling himself to his feet, Kai saw a dark brown horse and a light-colored ox. Both of them were clad in deep red armor and holding spears. Kai towered over both of them. Kai saw he was in a circular room, made of the same red bricks as the floor. He wasn't inside the ship anymore. In fact, he had no clue where he was. He slowly, ominously, turned to the horse and ox standing before him,

"Where. Am. I?" He growled.

"Diyu." The ox stated simply. "Now that you are standing, come with us."

Kai felt confusion running through his brain. Diyu? Where in China was that? Had he been kidnapped? He followed the two animals as he thought. They pushed open a set of heavy doors on one side of the room.

A burst of heat swept over Kai's fur as the doors were opened. A wave of screams pierced his ears. A bolt of realization hit Kai like a tidal wave. He was in Diyu! The underworld! A surge of anger swept over him. So he had been killed in battle!

Did his chi still work down here? The ox and horse duo had led him onto a bridge. Their backs were turned, and they seemed to pay him no mind as they escorted him across the bridge. Kai's body still felt weak from the battle, but as he concentrated, he felt his hooves glow green. So it still worked...

Kai reached out in front of him. He felt the chi of the ox draining and his own chi growing. His powers still worked in the underworld! Kai smirked as the ox turned into a light green jade pendant. The horse, noticing his partner's absence, turned. He gave a cry of surprise to see Kai holding his pendant.

The horse grabbed his spear and aimed it at Kai, who was unafraid. The large bull grabbed the end of his spear and yanked the horse towards him. The guard stumbled forward, and, without missing a beat, Kai raised his hooves.

Another pendant under his belt. Kai laughed evilly. Now he just had to find a way out of here. He turned back, hoping to see the room he arrived in. However, he only saw a red haze, like a fog, fall over everything.

Kai walked to the edge of the bridge and looked over the side. The same red fog prevented him from seeing too far down into the pit. Shrieks and pained groans rose from the red haze. With a huff of frustration, Kai stepped away from the edge and looked down towards the other end of the bridge.

In front of him, there was still the haze. Kai fell onto all fours and ran as fast as he could across the bridge. He called upon the chi of the crane and the horse to give him speed. His feet flew across the red bricks. He couldn't tire now. His plan was just beginning to take form. He had to find a way out.

After nearly an hour of running, the end of the bridge was finally in sight. He saw a line of animals, each waiting in front of a large door. {Yama...} Kai thought. {There's my exit.} He charged forward. Several antelope guards, standing in front of the door, saw him charging across the bridge and raised their spears.

"Everyone take cover!" One of the guards shouted.

Kai didn't slow down. He surged over the bridge, causing animals of all shapes and sizes to scream and scatter. The mob ran in different directions. Some ran onto the bridge- the same way Kai came- while others pounded helplessly on the door. Some of them, in the chaos, fell over the edge of the cliff and into the red haze below. One of the guards tried to keep control of the crowd, while the other threw his spear at Kai.

Before the spear could lodge into his head, Kai skirted around it. He lowered his head, aiming for the center of the door. The two guards screamed and ducked out of the way. With a mighty leap, Kai collided with the wooden door horns-first, tearing it to splinters. He thrashed, tearing the doors off their hinges and revealing an office on the other side.

There, sitting at a desk, sat King Yama himself. He had a pair of reading glasses perched delicately on the bridge of his nose, and his horns- as opposed to Kai's, which branched straight upwards- twisted and turned at odd angles to resemble some sort of a crown. He was writing something on a scroll before Kai had burst through the door. Now, he put down his quill and looked up.

Yama cocked a curious eyebrow at Kai. For all of the 600 years that he has been managing and ruling the underworld, he has never had someone come down and make such a ruckus upon entry. He stood up, ignoring the still screaming mob outside. He glanced down at a scroll on his desk, "Ah, Kai. You're early."

"Let me go, Yama!" Kai stood upright, kicking a piece of the broken door out of his way. Yama smiled condescendingly down at Kai as if he were an unruly child,

"You know that's not how it works. You have to carry out your-"

Yama was cut off as Kai launched his jade swords at him. Yama- despite being the size of an elephant- leaped nimbly out of the way. Yama snorted at Kai, "You ignorant bull. You will pay for this." Yama opened a glass case in the back of the room, removing a large golden sword with a red hilt.

A wave of apprehension flooded through Kai. {A sword of pure chi...} The sword glowed golden as Yama skillfully swung it around. If Yama managed to strike Kai with that sword, Kai would likely become a new permanent resident of Diyu. Kai narrowed his glowing green and blue eyes and grabbed his jade pendants. He quickly tossed the pendants down.

His five newer pendants- Chicken, Bear, Croc, Mantis, and Crane- as well as the minions he had sent against them- Boar, the Badgers, Porcupine, Goat, and Komodo, landed heavily beside Kai. They all stared at Yama.

The Jade minions stood by and flanked Kai. Yama's eyes darted back and forth as he examined the Jombies. "So it's true. You've done it. You madman. You've stolen their chi, Kai. Their soul!" Yama bellowed angrily, his grip on the Golden Sword of Chi tightening.

Kai chuckled, "Indeed, I have. And soon, I shall have your chi. I will become the most powerful warlord in history." Confident of his victory, he turned to his minions, "Immobilize him."

His minions surged forward. Yama twirled his sword and used his huge size to push back against the jade creatures. Kai leaned back, watching in satisfaction as his jade creatures swarmed on and around the bull.

Yama clutched his Chi sword swung it, knocking several of the Jombies away. He knocked the rest of them away with another swing of the sword. With a thoughtful hum, Kai noticed that Yama wasn't tiring.

Yama, like Kai, was a spirit. And a powerful one at that. His strength was comparable to Oogway's, Kai had to give him that. Yama easily held his own against the eleven jade minions Kai sent against him. It was easy for the King to knock away the smaller minions- such as Chicken, Porcupine, and Mantis- and he just had to swing his mighty Chi sword to send the larger ones- such as Croc, Komodo, and Bear- sprawling.

Lowering his head, Yama used his mighty gold-tipped crown to knock his attackers away. He glared spitefully at Kai, before the Jombies rallied again and attacked. Yama had no problem swinging his sword or headbutting the opponents away. The King wasn't even breaking a sweat, whereas Kai's minions were scattered and disorganized.

The Jombies stood no chance against King Yama.

Grabbing onto his jade sword, Kai called back each and every one of his minions. Yama stumbled forward, as he was planning on swinging his sword at Master Crane. Kai felt the power course back through him as most of his minions returned. Without a second of hesitation, Kai swung his jade sword and lodged it up into Yama's neck.

Yama's pained bellow turned into a gurgle. His sword fell onto the brick floor with a clatter. The chi that powered the sword disappeared as Yama recalled it into his body. In its place was a simple silver sword with a red hilt.

Instead of blood, chi bubbled up at Yama's neck and he fell onto his knees. Kai grabbed him by his crown, steadying Yama as the broadsword dug into his neck. He glared at Kai, "Next time," Yama whispered, "do your own fighting." He coughed up a bit of chi, staining his mouth and chin, and slumped sideways, limp. The King had fallen.

Letting go of Yama, Kai opened up his hooves, a wicked grin on his muzzle. Yama gasped in pain as his chi was sucked out of his body. Kai expected Yama to have a strong chi, but the sheer amount of power that surged through Kai's body was immense. It was just like Oogway's chi: Kai nearly fainted from the amount of raw strength he felt coursing through his body. His horns grew another prong and he grew several inches taller. His muscles rippled as they tried to contain his strength.

Kai stumbled to the desk to steady himself. He took several deep breaths as he tried not to fall over as he grew lightheaded. He had to be careful, now. He had so much chi in his body that, despite mentally preparing himself for it, it would be easy for his body to get overwhelmed by the amount of power he takes in. The pendants on his belt trembled from being so close to near raw power.

Kai stared at the new jade pendant in his hoof. Staring back at him was a very miniature version of Yama, including his crown. Kai chuckled and laughed evilly, "The power of the underworld is mine." He laughed, clutching the pendant to his chest, near where Oogway's chi was resting around his neck. So many souls, so much chi!

Before he returned to the mortal realm, Kai's eyes drifted to the scroll that Yama was writing on. He usually would take no mind in whatever his victims were doing whenever he took their chi, but something brought his attention to the scroll. He picked it up and read it. His eyes scanned the page.

It was a list of high-security souls in Diyu that Yama would have to keep an eye on during their sentence, whether it was for their crimes in the mortal world, trying to escape Diyu or just people that gave Yama a bad feeling. It had the names of different animals, as well as their mortal crimes and several other notes on them. The scroll was quite long, but he spotted two names that stood out to him:

Lord Shen - Murderer, Conquerer, Thief, Responsible for Panda Genocide - Killed by Dragon Warrior

Alpha - Shen's Second, Murderer, Thief, Involved in Panda Genocide - Killed by Master Tigress

Kai smirked. When he was in the Spirit Realm, he didn't really keep up with the goings-on of the mortal realm, but even he knew about Shen and the war he brought upon China. Kai smirked evilly as a plan began to develop in his mind.

As he was about to command for the souls to come to him, he spotted another name farther down the list that caught his interest.

Jian - Murderer, Conquerer, Rapist, Father of Master Leo Lung - Killed in Battle by an unknown opponent

Leo Lung? That sounded familiar... Oh yes! Leo Lung is Tai Lung's brother. An idea formulated into Kai's head. He already had Yama's chi, and now, without anyone else to protect the souls of Diyu, he could pick and choose whomever he wanted to be on his team. He backed up and used his chi to summon the three criminals to the study.

In a swirl of black smoke, three animals fell onto the floor in a heap. One was a burly grey wolf missing an eye, the second was a thin white peacock with large tail feathers, and the third was a lean golden lion with a large grey-brown mane.

"I have brought you here for one reason." Kai stood tall, towering over the three before him. "Destroying Oogway's legacy."

All three of them looked up at him, in awe. He stood as tall as Yama, but his horns nearly touched the ceiling, giving him a terrifying presence. His eyes glowed in the office, basking the three in the light. As each of the three prisoners stood before him, Jian, the older lion, narrowed his faded amber eyes in confusion, "Who?"

Kai was silent for a moment, then grinned. "Thank you! Finally, someone who doesn't know that old tortoise!" He celebrated. After a moment of basking in the joy of not having to explain who Oogway was, Kai spoke, "Now, join me, or go back to whatever that old bull Yama has sentenced you to."

"What's in it for me?" Shen rasped. The peacock glared suspiciously at Kai. His dark red eyes were narrowed.

Kai thought for a moment, "A share of China. Gongmen City? That's what you were after, right? When I am finished and the world is under my hooves, I can give you whatever cities you want." He smirked.

Shen visibly bristled, "Gongmen City and The Valley of Peace."

"Deal." Kai shrugged. Once Oogway's memory was destroyed, the Valley of Peace, the Jade Palace included, would mean nothing to him.

"And me?" Jian asked, flicking his tail.

"You," Kai pointed a hoof to him, "can see your child again."

"Which child?" The lion asked.

"Your son."

Jian snarled, showing yellowed teeth and white gums, "Do you have any idea how little that narrows it down? Which son? I had plenty of sons."

Kai took a quick glance at the scroll, then spoke: "Leo Lung. The one who lives at the Jade Palace."

Jian took some time to think, but Shen unfurled his tail feathers immediately, "Leo Lung! That pesky cat has ruined all of my plans and has been a thorn in my side! I'll join you as long as I can face Leo Lung myself." Shen clenched his fingers. Kai smiled. One down. Jian seemed to remember Leo Lung, and lashed his tail,

"Leo Lung is the one who gave me this scar," The lion said, pointing at a large diagonal scar on his muzzle. "I see him as just another enemy. Count me in." Jian said, with a resolute nod of his head.

"What about you?" Kai turned and looked at Alpha, who had been quiet this whole time.

Alpha looked sadly up at Kai. With a quiet whimper, the large wolf spoke, "I don't want any shares of China. I don't want to claim revenge on past enemies." Kai frowned. Guess you can't get them all. He summoned the chi to send Alpha back to whatever torture Yama was putting him through, but Alpha spoke once more,

"I only want to see my beloved Shui and my child once again. I'm in."

Without another second of hesitation, Kai raised his hooves. All three of the prisoners before him glowed green and were shrunk into tiny pendants. In his hooves were the pendants of a grey wolf, white peacock, and sandy gold lion. He felt them struggling against the jade.

"I forgot to tell you," Kai said, amused, "I have to take your chi, first."

Shen fought the most. He thrashed inside the pendant, fighting to free himself. Jian fought just as hard, causing the pendant to twitch and jump in Kai's hooves. Alpha, however, sat still in his pendant. He didn't struggle or fight. He seemed to just lie down and accept whatever Kai gave him. Kai clipped the three new pendants on his belt.

Instead of putting Yama on his belt, he plucked a string of hair from his mane. He tied Yama's pendant around his wrist. Yama's chi- like Oogway's- was extremely powerful. He didn't want it resting with the others.

With newfound power, Kai closed his eyes and roared. He felt the ground trembling underneath him. With the ox, horse, King Yama, Shen, Alpha, and Jian now in his control, Kai used their chi and willed his body back into the Spirit Realm.

Just as in the Spirit Realm, a green ball of energy surrounded him. The office around him was wrecked: scrolls were incinerated, the desk was turned to splinters, and the torches were put out.

His body felt tingly. He felt the world spinning and transforming around him. His eyes were closed but he could almost see the world shifting around him. The ground beneath his feet turned from hard bricks to soft sand.

When Kai opened his eyes, he was back in the ship.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Authors Note: Many battles were to be fought in this chapter! Y'all probably understand now why I made the prologue take place in Diyu! And how about that! We now know who Leo's father is (although some clues in 'The Lion and the Leopard' pointed towards Jian being the father!)
> 
> The reason I was unsure about this chapter was how relatively easy it was for the five warriors to kill Kai. He wasn't defeated; in fact, he only became stronger by being killed, but I guess I was just apprehensive about how you guys would receive it. I tried to make up for my apprehensiveness by bringing Shen, Alpha, and Jian back into the mix, which I had been planning on doing for the entire story but I just needed a way to do it.
> 
> Also, I know a lot of you would've wanted to see a Shen and Alpha vs Kai battle but it would've made the chapter really long. When I finish the story I'll probably go back and add it in as a bonus :)
> 
> I also have an important announcement! I start college in a couple of weeks! I will do my best to keep up with the schedule I've set for myself, and I will let you guys know if anything comes up. I promise this story will be finished before 2021. But for now, let's see a short preview of the next chapter...
> 
> "That's what we're both trying to figure out. Shoot it down so we can investigate it further."
> 
> What do you guys think? If you have some idea about this, say so in a review! Be sure to leave a favorite and follow! Positive feedback is my best motivator! See you guys on August 22!


	11. The Strength of the Wolf. . .

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! I hope y'all are doing ok! This chapter is gonna get pretty epic, so let's buckle right in and do this!

The morning sun shone through the blinds in Po's room. The light hit his face, and Po's eyes flew open. Today was his first day of chi training! There was no time to be sleeping around! He leaped out of bed excited, energized, and ready for the day.

"First day of panda training! Hooo-Yeah!" Po exclaimed, karate-chopping the air. He saw a nearby wilting flower on a desk. He rushed over, "Ok, flower, I'm gonna make you bloom! Let's do this!"

He ran across the bridge to where the house where Li Shan was sleeping. He felt a grin on his face. Today, he would learn what it meant to be a panda! When Po reached Li's house, he slowed down. Careful not to startle his father awake, Po gently pushed open the door and snuck into his father's house. He lightly poked Li in the back,

"Dad! Psst, Dad! Wake up!" Po whispered excitedly.

Li flinched, turning over, "Huh? Wha- What? What is it?"

"I'm ready for my first day of panda training!" Po stood rigid at attention, his back straight, elbows in, feet apart, just like Shifu taught him. Li, still sleepy-eyed, looked confused,

"What?"

"You know!" Po elaborated, "Learn to be a panda, master chi, save the world!" Po punched the air for emphasis, "I'm ready!"

Li blinked several times and then yawned, "Pandas sleep 'till past noon." Li flipped himself over, "Lesson number one, go back to bed." Li closed his eyes and in a few seconds was snoring.

Po knocked himself in the head, "Of course!" He whispered to himself. He ran out of Li's house, back across the bridge, and into his room. "Nobody said this was going to be easy." He muttered. He fluffed his pillow, straightened the sheets, closed the blinds, and shimmied into bed. "Let's do this."

And Po was out like a light.

The slamming open of Po's door was the only thing that woke him up. He startled awake, sitting up to see Li in his doorway, "Did I oversleep?" Po asked nervously.

"You sure did!" Li said, happily.

"Yes!" Po cheered.

Po spent all day with his dad, learning different ways of being a panda. First, he let Ku Ku, Meng Meng, and Shuai Shuai show him how to play a game they called 'Hacky Sak.' Po had never heard of it. The kids had a ball and they kicked it to keep it elevated. The point of the game was to keep the ball from touching the ground. Po watched it in amazement until suddenly Ku Ku kicked the ball to him!

Po kicked his legs out, "Like this? Am I doing it right? This is so cool!" The three kids watched in awe; Po used a roundhouse kick to send the Hacky Sak flying up into the air.

The kids gasped in surprise, and Po watched in horror as the now-airborne Hacky Sak sped towards Grandmother Panda, who was watching from a ridgetop.

"Granma Panda, look out!" Po shouted.

"Hello- OW!" The Hacky Sak hit the elder panda right in the head, causing her to fall over, unconscious. Po watched in shock.

"Let's roll, kids," Li said, anxiously. Li, Ku Ku, Meng Meng, and Shuai Shuai all rolled out, while Po, who still had yet to master rolling, rushed after them.

While Po continued his training, Klara was searching for someone to play with. She had woken up bright and early that morning as the sun rose, hoping to play with some of the other kids, only to find out that nobody was awake! She wandered around the village, looking around cautiously, only to go back to the house that she and Mr. Ping had shared, and go back to sleep.

When she woke up several hours later, the sun was shining and everyone was awake. Klara eagerly ran over to the three panda triplets that she had met the previous day.

"Hi! Can I play with you guys?" Klara asked politely.

Meng Meng looked at her, "Sure! What do you want to play?" She asked.

"Well," Klara fiddled with the end of her dress, "I kinda want to fly a kite. I've never flown one before." The fawn stared at the ground, embarrassed.

"You've never flown a kite before?!" Ku Ku exclaimed.

"That's so weird." Shuai Shuai commented, "Come on, let's go find our kites! What's your name, by the way?" he asked.

"My name is Klara!" She said. Klara grinned as she followed her new friends. Maybe she would fit in after all!

.

Kai

.

Kai's hooves hit the ground at a startlingly fast pace. The ground beneath him was a blur. With the power of the underworld now in his command, he would be unstoppable!

He only had two things left to do: destroy the Jade Palace, and with it, the memory of Oogway, and take the chi of every living panda in China. After that, world domination sounded appealing.

He was a Spirit Warrior; therefore he didn't age. He wouldn't grow old or weak, and his reign would last as long as he wanted it too. Anyone who tried to rebel against his rule would have their chi taken. Maybe he would display their jade statues as a warning; or better yet, destroy their pendant, thereby destroying their soul. Kai would not only have power over the living but the dead also. With King Yama's power, Kai would have power over every creature's soul in Asia.

He would be seen as a god.

No, that's not quite right.

He would be a god.

Kai felt an evil grin crease his muzzle. And to think it would be all his in a matter of days.

Sure, Shen wanted the Valley of Peace and Gongmen City, and Jian wanted to get revenge on Leo Lung for...well, something- Kai wasn't listening- they would pose no threat to his power. Kai almost felt giddy as he thought about what would happen once he took The Dragon Warrior's chi.

As Kai crested a mountain, he spotted a river along the bottom. {Aha! This river leads straight to the Valley of Peace. And with it, the Jade Palace.}

Descending to the water, Kai took several gulps of water. He didn't need it; Spirit Warriors didn't need food, water, or technically even air to survive. They were already dead. But the cool, refreshing feeling of the water helped keep him focused on the task at hand. He didn't know how long this river was, so he reached for a single pendant on his belt. He needed to scout the area.

Pulling Crane free, Kai looked at the pendant, then tossed it into the air. With a light green flash, Crane emerged, his wings spread to keep airborne. Immediately, Kai took control.

What Crane saw, he saw. He could see himself looking up at Crane. With a slight flick of his wrist, he commanded Crane to turn and fly downstream.

There was an abundance of plants, trees, and rocks, which Kai was uninterested in. Back before Oogway betrayed him, Kai would have conducted many experiments on these plants and foliage. He would take their chi, just like he is now. Of course, a plant's chi is practically nothing compared to the chi he can steal now. It would be like trying to compare a single pebble to the entire Himalayan mountain range.

After several minutes of scouting and nearly five miles down the river, Kai spotted something of interest. A village lay nestled on the river, sprawling across the mountain valley and climbing up into the mountains.

Crane landed in a nearby tree and focused on the villagers. Kai grinned as he studied the villagers. "Wolves. Lots of them." He hummed thoughtfully. As he spoke, he felt a nervous twitch coming from one of the pendants on his belt.

Exiting out of Crane's vision, Kai huffed in annoyance and reached down for the troublesome pendant. It was probably just another Kung Fu Master fighting against the jade, "You can't escape." Kai stated, pulling the pendant off his belt, "Nobody's done it and you won't be the first." But as he pulled it up to eye level, he saw it was Alpha. "Do you know this village?" Kai questioned ominously.

A wave of fear and apprehension leaked from the pendant. "So you do, hm? Any family? A...wife? Children, perhaps?" Kai asked slowly, a wicked grin on his face.

Alpha's previous anxiety turned into anger. The pendant twitched violently in his palm, nearly falling to the ground. He took that as a yes. Kai chuckled maliciously,

"Let's go pay them a visit, then."

.

Shui

.

The day always started early for Shui. The young mother would wake up bright-eyed and bushy-tailed to get a head start on her day. Shui pushed herself out of bed and put on a light dress that fell to her ankles. Taking a single glance at her dresser, Shui saw a dark blue scarf.

That scarf was made from Alpha's blue traveling cloak. It was the one he was wearing when Shui found him after the explosion in Gongmen City. After Alpha had passed away, Shui decided to save the cloak. It was worn, but Shui was determined not to let it go to waste. After a few cuts and trims, she converted it into a dark blue scarf that she wore around her neck.

The scarf wasn't the only thing she kept. Alpha's war hammer sat by the corner of her bed. She never used it, but sometimes, when she holds it close, she imagines that she can still feel his paws on it, or smell his scent on it. It helps on the lonely days.

But the day needed to get started, and, while nostalgic, remembering Alpha wouldn't solve the day's needs.

Shui was the leader of the wolf pack, and therefore, chief of the town. She always had some responsibilities to tend to. Whether it was overseeing the construction of a new home, setting up a trading policy with a nearby town, or making sure that Huo was alright in the Valley of Peace.

He had only been gone a couple of days now, but Shui couldn't help but worry. When Ri Chu had returned on her boat that evening, without Huo, Shui immediately knew something was wrong.

"Shui!" Ri Chu had said, leaping off the boat and running up to her, "Tigress has warned me of a new villain who is coming!"

"Who?" Shui's hackles had risen instantly.

"She said his name was Kai, and we need to be on high alert. She said he is stronger than Shen. Tigress also said she would do everything in her power to protect Huo, and she sent me back here to warn you." Ri Chu panted.

Ever since then, Shui had been fearful of Huo's safety. The mother wolf had no idea who this Kai was, but if he was stronger than Shen, what would that mean for the wolf pack? Or Huo? Shui had debated going to the Valley to fetch Huo herself, but Ri Chu and Wan, both of her second-in-commands, had convinced her that it was better to stay and keep the pack calm. Huo would be safe and protected by the masters of the Palace.

Now, as the sun neared its peak, Shui had been called to investigate something in the nearby woods past the village.

"We don't even know where it came from!" Wan explained, "We were finding berries for lunch and we just looked up and saw it." The small black wolf led her to a tree and pointed upwards.

Shui looked up and gasped. A large, jade statue of a bird was staring down at her. The bird was long and slender, with a dangerously sharp beak. It wore a wok on its head. Shui's ocean-blue eyes widened, almost in fear. She had a feeling of familiarity with the bird. She thought she recognized it from somewhere. But, as Shui racked her brain, she couldn't remember where she saw that statue.

"Do you know when it arrived?" She asked. Wan shook his head sadly.

"It had to had been this morning. It wasn't here last night."

"Alright, get Lie Ren, tell him to bring his bow and arrows. We'll shoot it down and investigate it further." Shui concluded. Wan turned and ran off to get the archer.

Lie Ren was a prodigious archer in the wolf pack, and he was only 18 years of age. Lie Ren could shape a bow in a single night, and craft an entire quiver of arrows for it that following day. However, Shui worried for him. He was lucky to not get killed during, well, any of the battles that Shen dragged the wolf pack into.

Now that Shui was alone, she cocked her head and stared at the statue. She swore she had seen that bird somewhere.

Wan returned with the young archer, "Yes, my lady?" Lie Ren asked. Wan and Shui both pointed up at the jade statue, which was still staring at the trio of wolves.

"Woah. What is that?" He asked.

"That's what we are both trying to figure out." Wan commented, "Shoot it down so we can investigate it further." The black wolf said.

"Yes, sir!" Lie Ren chirped, notching an arrow into the drawstring. He drew the string back until the feathers on the arrow brushed against his cheek. With a quiet sigh, the tawny wolf fired the arrow, which was aimed at the bird's chest.

Any normal bird would have been instantly killed when the arrow punctured its chest. They would fall to the ground, dead, in a burst of feathers. But Shui, Wan, and Lie Ren watched in astonishment as the arrow bounced harmlessly off of the bird's chest. It landed on the grass below. The statue narrowed its eyes, almost like it was offended the wolves would try such a tactic.

The bird's eyes began to glow a bright jade, and it opened its beak, "That was very rude of you," The voice was deep and sudden, surprising all three wolves, "to shoot my bird like that." The voice said. Was somebody talking through the statue? Was someone spying on them? Shui's fur stood on end, and she thought quickly about what to do. Without taking her eyes off of the bird, she addressed the two wolves,

"Lie Ren, tell Ri Chu to get the pack, make sure they are armed. Wan, go and get my sword and Alpha's war hammer. Now." She ordered.

"Yes, my lady." Lie Ren whispered, turning tail to get Ri Chu.

"On it," Wan said, running off to retrieve Shui's weapons, as well as his katana.

Now that Shui was alone with the statue, she took a tentative step closer, "Who are you?" She asked, with a careful swish of her tail.

"I," The entire statue began to glow and shrink, shooting down to be grabbed by a figure in the shadows; the figure emerged from the darkness, revealing an enormous ox, with horns that stretched like tree branches and eyes that glowed green and blue, "am Kai."

Shui felt a spike of fear in her heart. Kai, as in the one Tigress warned her about? She took several steps back. Kai smirked, grabbing two jade broadswords and advancing towards her. "Listen, Kai, I have nothing for you," Shui warned, her hackles standing on end. Her voice trembled as she took in the size of this creature. He was nearly as tall as the Peace Destroyer! Her mind began racing as she waited for her pack to back her up; there would be no way Shui could face this giant alone.

"I only want your chi," Kai stated simply, "Nothing else. We can do this the easy way, or the hard way." The ox said, a smile on his muzzle.

"Shui! Here's your sword and Alpha's hammer!" Wan called, running up to her. He tossed Shui her weapons, Alpha's war hammer and her sword, which she had forged after the village was built. The sword had a dark red hilt with a tassel on the bottom. The blade was light silver and glinted in the light.

As Shui caught her two weapons, the rest of the wolf pack arrived. Ri Chu, Lie Ren, and over a hundred other wolves barked and snarled at Kai. Rumors spread fast in the wolf village, and when Ri Chu returned from the Valley, soon everyone knew that Kai was coming.

Kai cocked an eyebrow at her, "Alpha, huh? You must be his wife, Shui, the swordswoman." He stared at her, his eyes bore into hers as if he was scanning her soul for all of her secrets and mysteries.

"This is your warning, Kai," Shui growled, her lips curled and teeth bared, "leave our village." The wolves behind her barked ferociously, wielding their swords, axes, and other various weapons.

"Where's the fun in that, sweetheart?" Kai asked, reaching for a jade pendant on his belt. "I have someone who might want to see you." He tossed the single pendant in front of him.

With a bright flash, Alpha appeared between Kai and the wolf pack. He was a dark green, and stared, unfeeling and unmoving, at his former pack.

Shui felt a pang in her chest, and her knees grew weak. How was Alpha here? The wolves around her gasped in surprise. Kai watched in sadistic gratification as Shui's paws covered her mouth.

The silver she-wolf dropped her sword and staggered towards the statue of her husband. She stopped right in front of him, the hammer in her right paw. "Alpha," she whispered, reaching up to touch his cheek: it was hard, cold, jade; Shui's vision became blurrier the longer she stared at Alpha- tears welled up in her eyes. "my love. What did he do to you?" She asked quietly, the tears now flowing freely.

"His chi is now mine." Kai smiled, "Your chi is strong," He said, looking Shui up and down, "soon I will have yours as well."

Shui gently kissed Alpha on his jade nose. He stared back at her, his eyes not portraying any emotions. Shui gently placed Alpha's hammer in his paws, and his jade fingers closed around it, "This is yours. I kept it safe for you." She spoke quietly. As the statue's grip on the hammer tightened, jade began to spread from his large paw, until the entire hammer was enclosed in jade. Alpha looked down at the hammer, his moves stone-like and rigid. Unnatural. Shui wiped the tears from her eyes, "I miss you, darling."

The wolves behind Shui were crying and whimpering. They had loved Alpha, and seeing him here, converted into a jade statue, hurt them.

Kai, who was grinning wickedly, spoke, "Bring her to me, Alpha." He ordered.

Snapping out of her trance, Shui gasped as Alpha's large paw grabbed the scarf around her neck and pulled. "Wolves! Attack Kai!" She ordered, digging her heels into the ground.

The wolves surged forward, skirting around Alpha and charging towards Kai. Before they could reach him, Kai plucked a single pendant from his belt and hurled it at the pack. A bright flash halted the wolves in their tracks.

A single peacock stood between the pack and Kai. Instead of the stark white feathers, the pack was met with a slender, jade figure. Shen stared down the pack. His eyes were narrowed, almost in disgust. Shui gasped in astonishment. Both Shen and Alpha were here? How was that possible?

"An old friend?" Kai asked rhetorically. He knew who Shen was to the wolves. Kai placed down the long-beaked bird again. Suddenly Shui remembered where she had seen the bird before. It was Crane, from the Jade Palace! "Bring Shui to me." He ordered the statues in front of him.

With a graceful leap, Shen and Crane charged at the wolves, rushing to bring the alpha to Kai. The wolves raised their weapons, ready to defend their leader. Alpha yanked the scarf on Shui's neck, pulling her to the ox.

"No! Alpha, please!" Shui fought in the statue's grip. But Kai's control over Alpha was solid. Alpha yanked Shui towards Kai, so roughly so that Shui tripped and fell on the ground. Alpha began dragging her towards Kai, not caring as Shui was dragged through the dirt. Shui gasped for air as the scarf tightened like a noose around her neck. Her legs kicked on the ground, trying to gain some leverage to get some air. She pulled at the scarf, trying to loosen it.

Wan and Ri Chu, seeing what was happening, broke off from the pack. They lunged towards Alpha. Wan swung his katana at Alpha, and Ri Chu grabbed onto the scarf, trying to pull it off Shui. The silver wolf gasped, suddenly light-headed, as Ri Chu gave her some breathing room.

Alpha turned to Wan and lifted his war hammer above his head and brought it down towards the smaller black wolf. Wan lifted his katana above his head to block the strike with a loud clang. Wan swung his katana, trying to draw Alpha's attention away from Shui and Ri.

Ri Chu, using her silver blade, began sawing at the scarf. Shui felt a prick of sadness. This scarf was one that she made for Alpha's memory. But as the threads were cut, Shui pushed the memory aside as she leaped away from Alpha, free from his grip. The blue scarf was still held tightly in his paw.

His other paw now free, Alpha turned to Wan. He gripped his hammer with both paws. Wan lifted and wielded his katana with skilled expertise- he may not be nearly as big and burly as Alpha, but he made up for it in speed and precision. As Alpha and Wan battled, Ri Chu grabbed Shui by her wrist and tugged her towards the edge of the battle, "We need to get you out of here! He's after you!"

"No!" Shui emphasized, digging her heels into the ground, "You are my pack. What kind of alpha would I be if I abandoned you to be slaughtered?" Tears pricked Shui's eyes as she pulled her wrist free from Ri's grip.

"That doesn't matter. Go to the Valley and protect Huo." Ri Chu said, "Go protect the future of our pack. We can hold him off long enough for you to get a head start." She said, putting a comforting paw on Shui's arm. Shui ducked her head in sorrow. She couldn't leave her pack. Not during a battle like this.

A sudden yelp drew Ri's and Shui's attention back to the battle around them. Wan was beginning to falter against Alpha. Wan may have been faster, but Alpha was sturdier. Alpha swung his war hammer and hit Wan in the ribs. A sickening crack was heard as the hammer made contact with Wan. The smaller black wolf flew to the side, falling to the ground with a pained howl.

"Wan!" Ri Chu screamed, her eyes wide in horror. She stared in shock and horror as Wan fell limp to the ground. She saw the ground surrounding him turn crimson.

Shui, determined not to let her pack fall, growled suddenly, "Ri Chu! Go make sure Wan is ok!" She ordered. Ri looked at her, then nodded, running over to her friend and kneeling beside him. Shui turned, running to her sword which she had cast to the ground earlier. Her feet flew across the ground. Reaching down she grabbed the sword, turning around just in time to see Alpha racing towards her, his war hammer raised above his head to deal a fatal blow.

Alpha lunged towards her, and Shui raised her sword to block him. Soon the two wolves were locked in a deadly duel.

Kai watched as the fighting continued. The wolves were beginning to drop like flies. They were strong, he would give them that, but his minions were stronger. Shen was a deadly fighter. Despite the wolves being his former workers, the jade peacock had no problem using his large lance and throwing knives against them. If Kai didn't know any better, he'd say it was almost as if Shen was taking out an entire lifetime of pent-up frustration on the pack.

His minions were beginning to turn the tide. They had learned that, to get to the alpha, all of the wolves had to be cast aside, or worse. They sought out the wolves just to defeat them. Crane spotted Ri Chu near the back of the battle, her body cast protectively over Wan's limp body. The slender bird leaped into the air and dove towards Ri, his dangerously sharp beak and talons ready to pierce anything in his way.

Ri Chu spotted Crane diving towards her and Wan like a dangerous arrow. Her face wet with tears, Ri cast her body over Wan, trying to protect him from the Jombie. She snarled and snapped, her hackles raised. She wasn't armed. As Crane came closer, his talons at the ready, Ri gave a loud snarl. She leaped valiantly for Crane's throat, her jaws gaping and forest-green eyes wide with rage.

The two met in midair; Ri Chu latched her jaws around Crane's jade throat, and Crane dug his talons into the wolf's stomach. However, being made out of jade, the wolf hanging by her jaws from around his neck was nothing but a nuisance to former Jade Palace Warrior. He angled his wings so that he soared up and out of the village.

Using his powers of chi, Kai took control of Crane. He saw through Crane's eyes. He could feel Ri clamping down around his neck. She didn't hold on to try and defeat Crane anymore- she was holding on for dear life. If she let go now, she would fall to the ground and injure herself.

Kai soared Crane higher into the sky, then he spotted the river nearby. {Aha,} Thought the ox. He commanded Crane to divebomb towards the river. The wind flew by the two as they neared the river. Crane, with Ri still holding onto his neck, splashed down underwater, his speed causing him to hit the body of the river. Dirt and silt clouded around him, obscuring his vision.

"Hold her there." He ordered Crane.

Kai left Crane's vision; he was confident that the bird would be able to keep the wolf there until she drowned. His jade minions were just that: jade. They didn't need oxygen, or food, or water for that matter. It made keeping them alive rather easy.

With Ri Chu having been taken care of, Kai marched slowly towards Wan, Shui's other second-in-command. Kai looked down at Wan's body. He roughly kicked the limp body of the bloody black wolf. When the wolf didn't move or flinch, Kai gave a frustrated huff. He frowned, "Such a waste of chi." Wan and Ri Chu's chi weren't nearly as powerful as Shui's, but he still could've used it regardless.

When Kai turned around, he noticed Alpha, Shen, and Shui were fighting. The other wolves had all been defeated, and now it was time to claim the prize. But Shui was light and nimble on her feet. The silver wolf swung her sword with precision and expertise. Kai watched, almost intrigued, as Shui fought against the two opponents. Her reputation as a swordswoman was well-earned. Soon, Alpha, being made out of jade, overpowered Shui. He pushed her roughly to the ground and grabbed both of her wrists in his large, cold paw. Shen held his lance against her throat.

Kai approached her ominously, his green and blue eyes glowing brightly, despite the afternoon light. Alpha and Shen wrestled Shui so she was held on her knees before Kai. He stopped in front of her, "So, this is the power of the wolves, hm? I don't see what Shen saw in you." He taunted calmly. Beside Shui, Shen's tail feathers- despite being made out of jade- twitched angrily at Kai's comment. Alpha narrowed his eyes and growled. He had heard it, too. However, Kai ignored them, confident that his control was strong over them.

Despite the very terrifying ox standing in front of her, Shui held her head up; dignified even in the face of death. She glared at him, her hackles raised, "Your power is not your own. You are nothing but a thief." Kai knelt to her level, staring into her eyes, yet Shui continued, "The strength of the wolf is the pack. You have yet to see our power." Shui finished, her teeth bared in defiance.

Kai rolled his eyes, "What pack?" He grabbed Shui roughly by the chin and turned her head to look around. All around them, wolves lie on the ground, bleeding, or worse. Shui gave a quiet sob as she took in the terrible sight. Some of them were lying near their injured packmates, comforting them. Others lay unmoving on the ground.

Just this morning everyone was living their lives. How many of them had just had their lives ended? The silver wolf closed her eyes in sadness, as several tears fell down her fluffy cheek. A wave of hopelessness washed over her.

She had failed her pack.

Letting go of her, Kai's hooves glowed green, and he began stealing the chi of the wolf alpha. The silver wolf growled in pain, baring her teeth at Kai. Right before she was converted into one of his statues, he whispered darkly into her ear, "Your son will be the first to die."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Authors Note: Alpha and Shui have had their chi stolen. Ri Chu and Wan are presumed dead. A very sad ending for the wolf pack. ...Or is it? Make sure to leave kudos and bookmark to know the exact moment the next chapter comes out.
> 
> I have some more good news! I started up a Youtube channel. As of right now, I only have speed-paints of many of my OCs from 'The Lion' series: including Leo Lung, Shui, Milu, and more! I also will be creating some iconic scenes from my series (such as Kai vs Yama; Leo's death; the Destruction of the Valley, etc). The videos also have several fun facts about the characters/scenes, so be sure to watch :) Be sure to subscribe to the channel! ( www. youtube.com/channel/UCq10-qImUNpfN37SVAg7a8Q
> 
> College classes have officially started as well. Like I said in the last chapter, I will try my best to maintain my schedule and I will let you know if anything goes awry. I'll see you guys on September 5th (two days after my birthday :D )


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Sorry about posting later than usual. I hope y'all are ready for some more action this chapter! This chapter (instead of focusing on Leo, Po, or Kai) will focus on Tigress! Let's read on and see what happens this chapter....

"So all I have to do is this?"

Huo jumped at the air in front of him, his leg stretching out in front of him in a front kick. Tigress smiled and nodded, "Yes! Good job, Huo. Try using it on this." She patted The Adversary.

Tigress and Huo had been training for a couple of hours. The sun had reached its peak but Huo didn't want to stop training. He always wanted to impress Tigress and show her what he could do. Every time he would perform a move with the correct form and posture, Tigress would praise him. Huo loved it. His tail would wag and he would smile so widely Tigress felt herself starting to grin.

The more Tigress thought about it, the more she realized she was becoming what Leo was to her: someone to look up to. Although the age gap was much wider between her and Huo than her and Leo, she saw herself in the little wolf pup's eyes.

He was eager to please, just like she was when she first came to the palace. When Shifu took Tigress in, when Leo was in voluntary exile, he was incredibly harsh on her. He hardly praised her and found every excuse to criticize her. She was sure that she had gone to bed crying one of those nights. Whenever she looked back on it though, Tigress realized that Shifu was just trying to avoid turning her into Tai Lung. The red panda had lightened up significantly after Leo Lung returned.

Even though those months were decades behind her now, Tigress was determined to not give Huo a reason to doubt his Kung Fu. As long as Huo gave it his everything, Tigress would be satisfied.

Huo performed a jump front kick on The Adversary. His foot connected with the dummy, sending it rolling backward. The wolf pup looked at her, awaiting her response. He still had some work to do, but Tigress patted him on the head, "Good work. Let's try again."

Their training continued for another hour, with Huo practicing his jump front kicks on the dummy. Tigress would praise him when he earned it, and gently critique him on his form where he needed it.

The doors to the training hall were pushed open, and Shifu's voice rang out across the hall, "Have you taught him chi, yet?"

Tigress halted Huo's training and turned to Shifu, who was approaching her and Huo. She shook her head, "Not yet, master. I don't think he's ready."

"Kai is coming. He needs to at least know how to protect himself."

"He's a child, master." She said. Huo gently hugged Tigress's leg. He didn't know what the older animals were talking about, but he liked to listen anyway. Tigress patted him on the head as Shifu spoke.

"Send him down to Elena, in the village. Monkey and Viper are evacuating the village. You can still catch them if you hurry."

"I can't do that." She shook her head again, "I promised Ri Chu and Shui I would protect him." Tigress picked up Huo in her arms.

"And you would be protecting him-"

"I'm his godmother. I'm staying with him. At least until Crane and Mantis come back with word of Kai." Tigress said, her ears pinning onto her head.

Shifu looked up at her, then at Huo, who was staring at some of the weapons on the weapons rack, "Fine." The red panda said, "But if Crane and Mantis return with bad news, I want you to evacuate with Huo. I can't have you or him getting hurt. Understand?" He asked.

Tigress felt her gaze drop to the floor. She closed her eyes and nodded, "Yes, master."

Another figure appeared in the doorway. It was Leo Lung, who had an arrow with a message wrapped around it, "Master Shifu, Tigress, Huo." He greeted, then held up the message, "We have another message, from the city of Nanjing in the Eastern Province." He informed. Shifu and Tigress, still carrying Huo, rushed over to meet him. As Leo read the contents of the letter, they all walked outside.

"Master Eagle, Master Lizard, and Master Storming Ox have been captured. Please send help immediately." The lion read quietly. As they reached the courtyard, Huo looked and saw many other arrows with similar messages littering the ground. He squirmed to be put down, and Tigress gently set his feet on the stone floor.

"Where are they?" He asked, tilting his read as he tried to read a hastily written letter from Bei Jing. But he failed because he didn't know how to read.

"Maybe they are at a party?" Monkey asked, trying to lighten up the situation. Huo visibly perked up, his tail wagging,

"Can I go to the party, Tigress?"

"No." Shifu answered, "I'm sorry, Huo, but there's no party. Kai has taken their chi. We are the only ones who can protect the knowledge Oogway has left for us."

Huo looked around slowly as he tried to process what Shifu was saying. He saw Tai Lung appear around the corner, and walked over to him, standing by his legs. The snow leopard patted his head and looked up at the rest of the masters gathered, "Any word from Crane or Mantis?" He asked, his gaze scanning the multitude of letters.

Viper shook her head sadly, "No."

"Where did Crane and Mantis go?" Huo asked, looking up at Tai.

"They.." The snow leopard spoke quietly, "went on a mission." He answered simply. "Go play in the garden, Huo, while the adults talk."

With a dejected mumble, the wolf pup padded off into the Masters Garden. He could hear Shifu talking to the rest of the warriors. This has been happening a lot. Shifu would gather the rest of the experienced warriors and talk with them and they would send Huo in the garden to play. They talked about this one warrior 'Kai' whom Huo had never heard of, and of chi, which Tigress said he wasn't ready to learn yet.

Huo already knew how to do his punches and his kicks! He could learn chi! He was strong. He punched the air in front of him in a demonstration to himself. He could probably teach this Kai a lesson! Huo grinned cockily as he practiced his punching and kicking. The wolf pup even threw in a couple of jump front kicks! He turned and tried to subtly look over at the group of Masters, who were making their way towards the garden. None of them had seen his performance.

Huo looked up sadly at the sky. As he looked up, he spotted a pretty green bird flew across the sky. Huo watched it, then giggled and pointed, "Pretty bird." He smiled, watching. Its feathers were as green as jade, and its beak was long and slender. His ruby red eyes wide with fascination, he looked at the Masters behind him, "Lookit! Pretty bird!" He said, giggling. Taking a break from their discussion, everyone turned to follow where Huo was pointing. They saw the green bird circle around the palace, and a little green bug perched on the bird's head.

"It's Crane and Mantis! They're back!" Viper gasped excitedly. Crane circled the Palace, then looked down at Huo. He angled his wings, diving towards the wolf pup, his talons wide open.

"No!" Shifu said, realizing that it wasn't Crane. Not really.

"Huo!" Tigress gasped, leaping for him. She pushed Huo out of the way right as the bird swooped past the two. Tigress hissed and watched the bird circle back around, its wings spread.

A wave of dread washed over Tigress. Kai was here. Without another word, she picked Huo up and ran back towards the Main Building. She felt Crane and Mantis land behind her in the Master's Garden, and Tigress pushed open the door to the building. As they entered the foyer of the main building, Tigress gently put Huo down and closed the door behind her.

"I wanna see Crane and Mantis!" Huo whined.

With a quiet sigh, Tigress turned and looked at Huo. She felt a wave of emotions flood through her as she decided what to say. "Huo. That wasn't Crane and Mantis. They..." She knelt to his level, holding his paws in one of her own, "They were made evil by Kai." Huo was quiet as he tried to register what Tigress was saying. Gently squeezing his paws, Tigress spoke again, "I need you to go find Doctor Milu, and tell him to take you to Elena."

"But I can fight! I can jump front kick!" Huo whined, trying to move past Tigress to go back outside.

"That won't be enough." She said calmly, blocking him with one of her paws. The wolf pup's bottom lip began to quiver, and Tigress frowned, "Kai is dangerous. If you get hurt, I will be really sad, and so will Mommy. Go find Doctor Milu, and tell him to take you to Elena in the city, ok? Elena will keep you safe." Tigress placed a soft kiss on Huo's forehead. She felt the urgency rising in her. She had to go outside and help the other masters, but Huo held onto her paw.

"I wanna be with you." His eyes began to water, "I don't wanna go." He held onto Tigress' paw tightly, preventing her from going outside and joining the fight. The tiger began to feel rushed. She knew the other masters would need help out there, so she knelt to Huo's level.

Tigress lifted one of her paws to hold Huo's cheek, and she used her thumb to wipe away one of his tears, "It'll be ok, Huo, I promise." She said, trying to uplift Huo's mood. But Huo began to cry quietly as he grabbed Tigress' paw and began to snuggle into it,

"I want my Mommy." He sobbed. His eyes were red and puffy. Huo cried into her paw, holding onto it as if it were his lifeline. His nose was running and he sniffled messily.

"Oh," Tigress tidal wave of sadness crash over her. Her heart cracked as she slowly, gently wrapped Huo in a hug, "I promise, when all of this is over, we'll see your Mommy and your pack again." She whispered as Huo continued to cry. It was then that Tigress realized, even though she wanted more than anything to join the fight against Kai, she had a job more important than that. Huo needed her. She couldn't fight.

. . . .

Outside, Kai had arrived in the Masters Garden. Beside him were Crane and Mantis, each glaring spitefully at their opponents. His jade swords twirled in circles, creating bright green sparks every time they hit the stone pavement.

Standing in front of the centerpiece of the garden, the statue of Master Oogway, stood Master Shifu, Leo, Tai, Monkey, and Viper. They glared daggers at Kai, who approached them. Tai Lung, especially. His hackles rose and his tail lashed. He was still longing for that rematch.

As Kai stopped in front of the warriors, he looked past them, up to Oogway's statue. "Nice." He commented, his jade swords still twirling in the air, creating a flurry of sparks every time they hit the ground, "Very tacky, though." He said nonchalantly.

"How dare you set foot on these grounds?!" Shifu demanded, glaring at the large bull standing before him. Kai shifted his gaze towards the warriors in front of him,

"Look at you fools. Groveling at the feet of 'Oogway the Magnificent.'" He taunted.

With an angry snarl, Tai unsheathed his claws, "Say his name again, bull, and I will rip your horns off."

"What's wrong, kitten?" Kai asked, "Someone not give you enough milk this morning?" The chains on his blades wrapped around his arms and Kai grabbed the handles of the two swords. Tai roared furiously, bunching his muscles to leap at Kai, but Shifu's staff flew in front of him, stopping him before he could get himself hurt. Kai's eyes glistened with amusement, then he spoke, "I fought by his side." He pointed one of his hooves towards the large statue behind the warriors, "I loved Oogway like a brother. And he..." with a deep inhale, Kai spoke almost as if it pained him to, "betrayed me." Kai squeezed his eyes shut, almost as if he were trying to block out the memory.

The Kung Fu Masters watched. Leo's mane stood on end, and his tail quivered in anticipation. Tai's claws flexed until they hurt. Viper and Monkey stood side by side, eyes narrowed and ready to fight. Shifu, however, remained calm.

Kai's eyes flew open, "Now, I will destroy everything he has created!" He flung his arms back and forth, unraveling the chains on his arms. He flung his swords towards the masters.

"Go!" Shifu ordered, leaping out of the way of the blades. The battle had begun.

. . . .

Inside, Tigress watched the fight from a nearby window. Huo was cuddled into her chest. He had stopped crying, but he still insisted on being with her. He was now content with sleepily drawing little circles into the fabric of her tunic while Tigress turned her body away from the window. Although Huo was being trained in Kung Fu, she didn't want him to get any ideas of going out and fighting Kai. Still, she turned her head to watch.

Tigress saw how all of her fellow masters swarmed towards Kai. Her tail flicked and her muscles twitched. She longed to join them. Everyone out there, even Tai Lung, she would admit, was fighting as hard as they could. But, Tigress noticed, none of them could land a hit on Kai. Despite him nearly being the size of an elephant, he moved nimbly and with an agility Tigress didn't know a creature of that size could have. He used his swords to block his attacks.

Leo and Tai both charged at him and circled around him. The two brothers leaped at Kai from opposite sides, their teeth bared and claws out. Tigress felt her blood rushing in her ears. Kai, with speed unlike anything Tigress had seen before, threw one of his blades up at Leo, wrapping the chain around his forearm. With a sharp yank, he pulled the lion roughly to the ground.

A sickening snap! was heard as Leo landed on his shoulder, and he roared in pain. Tigress leaned forward but was careful not to jostle awake Huo, who was half-asleep.

Then Kai leaned back ever so slightly, causing Tai to fly harmlessly past him and crashland on top of Leo. Leo gave a pained yowl- Tai Lung was heavy. Monkey, Viper, and Shifu fought just as valiantly, but none of them could land a single hit on Kai.

"Use your chi..." She whispered, hoping by some miracle that they would hear her.

While Monkey, Viper, and Shifu kept Kai busy, Tai got up off of Leo and pulled his brother to his feet. "Are you ok?" Tigress saw Tai mouth to his brother. Leo nodded while holding his shoulder in pain.

Kai flung his jade sword at Shifu, but the little red panda grabbed it and yanked the chain closer, trying to rip the sword out of Kai's grip, "I will not let you destroy Oogway's memory!" He shouted in defiance. Even from the safety of the building, Tigress could still hear his declaration. Huo stirred on her lap, but Tigress gently began to pat his head, trying to keep him asleep. Tigress saw Kai say something, but she couldn't make it out.

"Use your chi!" Tigress urged, her tail flicking in desperation. Had they forgotten that the only way to destroy Kai was with chi?!

Then, almost as if he had heard her, Tai's paws began to glow golden. With a furious roar, the leopard charged at Kai, using his famous double-fist punch on the bull. The collision created a golden shockwave that even Tigress felt from inside the building. "How's that for a kitten?" Tai snarled. Tigress noticed he was panting heavily. He must have put a lot of energy into that attack.

Kai grunted in pain, recoiling back. He stumbled to catch his balance and glared at Tai Lung when he did. When an angry groan, Kai's eyes glowed a bright green. Tigress noticed that Crane's and Mantis's eyes glowed the same shade of green. Kai had taken control of them. Crane and Mantis- or at least, the statues that Kai made of them- joined the fight. Mantis- he was so small he just looked like a tiny glowing dot to Tigress- flew towards Monkey and collided with him like a very miniature cannonball. Crane began to battle with Viper. Viper was agile, but Crane grabbed her with his talons to try and immobilize her.

Leo and Tai rushed to help their comrades, while Shifu tried to stop Kai on his own. Following Tai Lung's lead, the rest of the warriors began to try to use chi to their advantage. Leo and Viper used chi to push Crane back and away from them, while Tai and Monkey used chi to try and defeat Mantis. Shifu's paws glowed golden as well. Kai, who anticipated Shifu's attack, raised his sword to defend himself.

Shifu leaped at Kai. He reared his leg back, ready to deliver a kick that could very well have been the end of the battle. Tigress's nose was practically pressed up against the window. She watched as Shifu...hesitated?!

What had he seen to stop him from defeating Kai? Her tail lashed as Kai smirked at the red panda's halt. He swung his jade sword and Shifu flew backward. He tumbled and landed by Oogway's statue. Tigress stood up in shock, waking up Huo. The wolf pup yawned and held on tight. Tigress debated on going outside or not. If she did, she would have to leave Huo. But if she didn't, would Kai win?

Leo rushed over, despite his broken shoulder, "Shifu! Are you ok?" Shifu nodded quietly.

Kai raised one of his hooves, "Bring them to me." He commanded.

Crane, with Viper held securely in his talons, flew obediently to Kai. Viper shrieked in fear before Kai's hooves glowed green, and her chi was pulled from her body. Mantis, who had a grip on Monkey's paw, did the same. Monkey cried out as Kai mercilessly stole his chi. Tai Lung, not eager to be next, regrouped next to Leo and Shifu.

"You must warn Po." He urged the two brothers.

"No! Master, please!" Leo pleaded.

"We can take him!" Tai insisted.

But before Shifu could say anything else, Kai launched one of his swords at the trio, causing them to separate and tumble in different directions. Tai flew back, landing right near the entrance of the building where Tigress and Huo were taking cover. Shifu was struck against Oogway's statue, having the breath knocked out of him. Leo was tossed to the opposite side of where Tai was thrown.

The signature click-clack of hooves wouldn't have drawn Tigress's attention, but the accented voice that spoke next did,

"Tigress?! What is going on? Why haven't you evacuated?" Milu's sudden voice appeared next to her. He had heard the fighting and came to investigate. The doctor stood next to her and looked out the window, watching as Kai advanced towards Oogway's statue.

She looked at him, "I need to make sure they are ok." She pleaded, "They are my family!"

Milu's ears pinned stubbornly to his head, "I'm a doctor. I can make sure they're ok. Right now you need to leave with Huo-"

The wapiti was cut off by a loud cracking sound. Kai had thrown his dual swords into the base of the statue. The chains wrapped around Oogway's shell and Kai backed up as far as he could until the chains grew taught. "Now I will show you the true power of chi, brother!" Kai cackled. With a might snap of his wrists and elbows, he sent a shockwave through the chains and into the statue. The stone cracked, causing the statue to come loose.

"NO!" Tigress cried. Huo began to cry as stone chunks flew everywhere. Tigress held onto him tighter, trying her best to reassure him.

Kai began to pivot on his hooves, twirling the statue around in a sick dance. He spun around, bringing the statue closer and closer to the building.

"Get down!" Milu shouted. He grabbed the tiger by her shoulders and shoved her to the ground. Tigress landed on her side, cradling Huo into her chest. Milu leaped on top of her, shielding her body with his own right as the statue crashed into the building.

The sound was louder than thunder. Tigress felt the explosion throughout her body. She pinned her ears to her head, trying to block out the sound of Kai destroying her home. The statue passed over the three of them, like an omen of death. Huo screamed in fear, his little arms wrapped around her torso tightly. Tigress held onto him, fearing that if she let him go he would be lost in the rubble.

Milu pressed his body on top of hers, shielding her and Huo from the brunt of the statue's mayhem. However, Tigress felt the stone, metal, and wood jarring and scratching him as he tried to protect them.

When the worst of the noise had receded, Milu let off Tigress. Huo, still crying, looked around to try and figure out what was happening. Tigress pushed herself up. The first thing she saw she would probably never forget.

The statue of Master Oogway- the statue that had been on the Palace Grounds before she was even born- flying through the air and towards the village. Boulders the size of Tigress's head had broken off along the way, tumbling down the stairs towards whatever awaited at the bottom. Pieces of the stairs were broken off.

The statue crashed unceremoniously into the town square. It slammed into the fountain, splashing water, rocks, and debris everywhere.

Tigress looked up and around as she saw that the building was still mostly intact. Kai had only managed to take out about half of the building. However, scrolls, artifacts, and pieces of glass, metal, stone, and wood littered the ground. Nearby, Tigress saw that Tai Lung was close to them, and staring in horror.

"Watch your step, Tigress," Milu quietly urged, "and leave. Take Huo to the panda village."

Tai looked over, seeing Tigress, Huo, and Milu. He whispered harshly to her, "You were supposed to leave!" He hissed.

"I couldn't just leave Shifu!" She growled, hopping down beside him. Milu clambered down with them, just in time to see Kai approaching a mourning Shifu, whose head was hanging in defeat. The four animals crouched low, quietly observing what was happening. Huo wasn't watching, however. He was quietly weeping into Tigress's chest as she rubbed his back comfortingly.

"Oogway, forgive me, please." The red panda said. His voice was weak with defeat, he hadn't noticed that Tigress and Huo were still here.

Kai chuckled evilly, "What do you think, Oogway?" He raised a pendant on his necklace. With a quiet gasp of horror, Tigress saw it was Oogway! His chi was trapped inside the jade pendant on Kai's necklace. Tai growled in anger, his tail lashing furiously. Huo continued to cry, but Tigress turned his face in towards her chest so they were muffled.

She didn't know what Kai would do to Huo if she saw him. She was beginning to think maybe she should have left the Palace before the battle even started. "Do you forgive him?" Kai asked the pendant sadistically. He held the jade tortoise out so it was staring at Shifu.

"The Jade Palace has endured worse than this." Shifu propped himself up so he was facing Kai, "You will never win." The red panda seethed, "There will always be someone to stop you."

"Who? The panda?" Kai laughed, "His chi is strong. But it won't be enough. He will meet the same fate as you." Kai leaned down.

"No-" Shifu cried. He fell onto his side, but still glared up at Kai.

"Oh, yes." He said, "And so will every panda in that village." He murmured wickedly. A pang of sorrow and defeat pierced Tigress's heart like an arrow. Kai was not only scary, but he had an even scarier way with words.

Right as Kai lifted his hooves to steal Shifu's chi, right as Tigress was about to turn tail and run for good, right as Shifu had been shrunken into a tiny pendant, a mighty, thunderous roar echoed throughout the mountains.

With all the courage of his namesakes, Leo Lung leaped at Kai, digging his claws into his back. Kai grunted in pain as the lion clung to his back like moss to a tree. Leo snarled in anger, his tail thrashing as he fought to keep balance. His claws broke the skin, and chi as golden as treasure welled up at Leo's claws.

Tigress gasped quietly, and she gently turned Huo away from the scene. Kai threw himself from side to side, but Leo still hung on. His paws were stained golden. Kai tried to reach behind him to pull Leo off his back, but, when Leo spotted his hoof, he bit down onto Kai's wrist, causing him to bellow in pain.

Tai's eyes widened. He had never seen this side of his brother before. Even when the two were fighting in the Spirit Realm, Leo still showed Tai some sort of mercy. Now, it looked like something in Leo had snapped. Something that caused him to growl like a feral animal, to dig his claws in like he was hunting prey in the wild. An instinct. An instinct to protect. To protect his family as he held on as tight as he could, even with his broken shoulder and draining energy.

He had to do everything he could to try and hold off Kai as long as he could. He had to give Tigress time to escape with Huo. He had to buy Po as much time as possible to learn as much about chi as he could to defeat Kai. Because Leo knew he couldn't do it. He knew he wasn't a master of chi. He knew it wasn't his destiny to fulfill. And yet he still dug his claws in and tightened his jaws. Because he had to.

Kai spotted the base of Oogway's statue. He charged over with speed unlike anything Tigress, Tai, or even Milu had ever seen. Kai turned at the last second, slamming Leo into the jagged edges of the statue's remnants.

A pained cry came from the lion and he released Kai. Leo fell to the ground, landing on his hands and knees. Kai stumbled forward and turned, his jade sword in one hoof and his injured hoof held at his side.

"You pesky cat," Kai growled dangerously. Leo stared up at him, his injured shoulder lifted slightly to put no weight onto it. He glared daggers at Kai, his claws still unsheathed and stained golden. Kai lifted his sword, ready to bring it crashing down onto Leo's head. Leo still huffed angrily, his ears pinned back and his tail lashing. He was ready to meet his fate if this was it. So Leo was surprised when Kai suddenly stopped in his tracks. He stared at Leo for a moment, then smirked, "I have someone who wants to see you."

Kai, using his injured wrist, pulled a single pendant free from his chain belt and threw it unceremoniously to the ground in front of Leo. With a bright green flash, a jade lion, just like Master Leo, stood. He wasn't as muscular or tall as Leo, but he sported a similar mane, and their muzzles were the same- except that the jade lion had a long, diagonal scar running on his muzzle.

"Jian..." Tai whispered. He immediately recognized the Jombie.

"Who is that?" Tigress whispered, unconsciously grabbing Huo tighter.

"He was the leader of the three lions I recruited," Tai said in a hushed manner, "Leo is the one who gave him that scar."

Tigress's heart began to race as she remembered Jian. She remembered all three of the lions she and the Five had battled on the Thread of Hope. The other two lions weren't visible, but Jian was a strong opponent by himself. Leo seemed to recognize that, too, as he faced his new opponent. Without a second of hesitation, the Jombie lunged at Leo, grabbing his mane in his jaws and tossing him away from the statue.

Leo snarled in pain and used his claws to stop himself from sliding along the ground. Beside Tigress, Tai Lung stood to go help Leo, his whiskers twitching in anger. But, before she could stop herself, Tigress grabbed a hold of his wrist.

"What are you doing? We need to help him!" Tai said in a hushed tone.

"Shifu wanted us to warn Po, so that's what we have to do!" Tigress said quickly. She picked up Huo and held him against her chest, ready to go.

"Leo is my brother, I won't leave him to die." The leopard said, stubbornly.

"We have to trust that Po is ready." She whispered.

Milu, who had been silently watching the fight this whole time, spoke up, "Tigress is right. You two go. I will remain here and..." Milu took a solemn glance at the destroyed section of the palace, "...hope I didn't lose anything valuable." He muttered.

Tai looked torn. He glanced at Leo, whose energy was draining against the fight against Jian, and back to Tigress and Huo, who stared at him, expecting an answer. His brain pulled and tugged in different directions. Should he stay and help Leo Lung, the one person who trusted him from the start, or trust Po, the Dragon Warrior, and hopefully by now Master of Chi?

From the garden, Leo gave a pained cry as Jian bit at his scruff. Leo had used all of his energy in his chi attacks, and now his struggles hurt him more than they hurt Jian. Kai yawned as he watched. With a twitch of anger, Tai Lung turned to Tigress.

"I'm going with you. If Po beats Kai, we can undo all of the evil he's done...somehow." He said, resolutely.

"Then, let's go," Tigress said. She bent down and picked up Oogway's Scroll, which lay nearby at their feet. Tai took it from her paws so she would be able to carry Huo. "Po, I hope you're ready." Tigress prayed quietly.

With that, Tai Lung, Tigress, and Huo set off for the panda village, leaving the Jade Palace, and Leo Lung, behind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Authors Note: Uh oh. Looks like Kai has gotten his revenge against Oogway. Tai and Tigress, with Huo in tow, now have to make the journey to the village. What happens when they arrive? We'll have to wait and see.
> 
> I know this chapter cuts off at a weird spot. I was going to finish writing it, but it would've ended up being over 6k, maybe even 7k words, and I don't want to overwhelm you guys. Next chapter we are going to see a lot of chi being used, but not by Kai! Let's see a preview. . .
> 
> "They'll need all the help that they can get. Show me the way."
> 
> Looks like someone will be making a trip next chapter. Anyways, I hope you guys like this chapter. The next chapter may be delayed because college is my full-time job now, and I am trying my darndest to get everything (not just fanfiction) finished on time as I settle into my new routine. Please don't be upset if the next chapter is delayed :') Thanks for reading and see you guys (hopefully) on September 19!


	13. Like Father, Like Son

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leo faces down Kai; Milu makes a tough decision; Tai, Tigress, and Huo face the journey to the panda village.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am SO SORRY for not updating for almost an entire month! Please forgive me :( School is my full-time job now, so I can only write when I get free time. I tried to make this chapter as good as possible.

...

Milu

...

Milu watched quietly as Tigress, Huo, and Tai Lung retreated into the mountains. With a quiet sigh, he turned to watch as Jian was called back into his pendant by Kai. Leo lay on his stomach before Kai. His breathing was ragged and his tail twitched occasionally. But, if Milu looked hard enough, he could still see the fight left in the lion. If it were up to Leo, he would fight until the moment he died. Milu had to do something.

Taking one last glance back to the mountains- to make sure Tigress and Tai were gone- Milu stood and tread carefully into the garden. Kai extended his hooves, ready to steal Leo Lung's chi, when Milu called out, "Stop!" He bellowed, his arm extending almost in a defensive manner.

To the wapiti's surprise, Kai did stop. He looked over in Milu's direction, almost annoyed with the fact that his ritual of taking chi had been interrupted. Kai's bright green eyes scanned Milu up and down. The bull straightened and stared at Milu curiously, "You are not a warrior," He hummed thoughtfully, "but your chi is still strong." Kai said, intrigued by Milu's sudden appearance.

Milu approached Leo and Kai slowly, to not spook Kai into attacking. Milu, despite living at the Jade Palace for four years, was no expert in Kung Fu. He hardly knew anything about it. If Kai attacked, Milu would stand no chance.

"I am a healer." He said clearly. "Let me heal Master Leo."

In a fraction of a second, Kai had one of his jade swords out and pointed at Milu's throat, "If you so much as raise a finger at him-"

"You wouldn't want an injured soldier, would you?" Milu asked quickly, hoping to appeal to Kai's history as a general. Milu did not know all that much about the other bull, but one thing Milu did know is that a leader of an army always looked out for their men.

Kai didn't say anything, but Milu noticed that his ears had subtly perked forward- Kai was listening. "If you take Leo as he is now," Milu glanced down at him, "he would hardly be of any use. He wouldn't be able to run or fight, not in the state he is in now. Let me heal him, then do as you wish." He spoke quickly. The jade sword grazed roughly against his throat, shaving off several hairs in the process.

At his feet, Leo turned and looked up at Milu. The lion didn't say anything, but the confusion was evident on his face. What was Milu doing? Surely he wasn't going to heal Leo just to hand him over to Kai's waiting hooves, right? Kai looked down at Leo, then back to Milu. Kai removed his blade from Milu's throat, "Fine. Alright. Heal him, but don't try anything funny." He said with an ominous growl.

Milu, with none of his medical equipment in hand, knelt beside Leo. "What are you doing?" Leo growled hoarsely, his mane tattered.

"Buying time, and hoping this works," Milu whispered, his voice barely even audible.

Kai called Jian back to his side, and now the lion was glowering at Milu, keeping watch as Kai began to march towards the destroyed section of the Main building. Out of the corner of his eye, Milu watched as Kai began to look at and admire the destruction he had created, almost as if he were proud of it.

"It's been nearly a decade since I've done this. Let's hope it works." Milu prayed. He laid one hoof over Leo's broken shoulder and began to hum quietly. The doctor's eyes fluttered shut as he began to concentrate.

Leo Lung watched in awe as Milu's hooves glowed with a radiant golden aura. Leo felt the bones in his upper torso- which had been throbbing in pain since Kai viciously yanked his arm with the chain- rearrange themselves back into position. The pain dulled. Milu opened his eyes to inspect his work.

His eyes wide with shock, Leo looked up at Milu, "Where'd you learn-?" He whispered in awe.

"Kamar-taj." The elk whispered hastily. His eyes darted up to check on Kai, who was still reveling in his victory. Milu closed his eyes again and began concentrating on Leo's other wounds. His hooves glowed golden again.

Milu felt his energy begin to drain. It had been almost ten years since he had healed someone using chi. His breathing became labored as he turned his attention to Leo's next wounds. The bite wounds inflicted by Jian- who stood watching menacingly just several paces away- began to shrink and fill back in as Milu brushed his glowing hoof over them. Not even a scar was left. Milu's muscles began to tremble. Leo felt his energy become restored.

Kai, feeling the warmth of Milu's chi on his back, turned. His eyes widened in astonishment as Milu used his chi- just like the pandas did with Oogway nearly 500 years ago- to heal Leo Lung. In retrospect, Kai didn't really know what to expect from the wapiti, especially since Milu had no medical equipment with him. A wave of anger surged through Kai's body as he watched Milu at work. "No!"

Milu lifted his head just in time to see Kai throw a jade sword at him. The elk gasped and, raising his hooves away from Leo, formed a circle of chi in front of himself and Leo. The sword collided with the golden shield, and Milu pressed himself to his feet as Kai charged. The elk saw darkness dancing at the edge of his vision, but he pushed himself to protect Leo and buy Tigress and Tai Lung as much time as possible.

Jian, his movements stiff, leaped towards Leo Lung. Leo, still reeling from the fact that Milu had healed him with chi, grunted as he began to battle with his father.

Milu, his fur messy and his eyes tired, yet determined, braced himself as Kai leaped at him. He raised his chi shield right as Kai swung his sword downward. The elk might have been experienced in the art of healing, but he did not know how to fight. Kai swung both of his jade swords angrily at Milu, and Milu would either raise his shield or dance out of the way. Why would Kai come after him like this, though? Milu was much less of a threat than Leo Lung. It was almost as if Kai hated seeing someone being healed using chi.

It snapped something in him.

Leo Lung had gotten the upper claw against Jian. He was stronger, younger, energized, and, well, alive. The jade was beginning to become an issue, though. Any normal opponent would be bruised and quite possibly bleeding after fighting Leo Lung. Jian, being made out of jade, didn't even need to think about worrying about Leo hurting him. In fact, the jade worked to his advantage. His blows hit harder now, and Leo had to be careful with an all-out punch or kick unless he wanted to break one of his bones and undo Milu's work. However, Leo's agility and strength led him to be able to push Jian back and win control of the battle.

Meanwhile, Kai had not relented in his assault on Milu. The doctor put every ounce of strength he had into his shield. Whenever Milu thought that Kai had finished swinging his sword, the bull would rear his other hoof back and strike with his second sword. Beads of sweat ran down Milu's forehead and torso as each of Kai's strikes pushed him back. His hoofs tried to dig into the ground but every time Milu thought he found a foothold, a particularly strong swing or a scary lunge would cause Milu to stumble.

Then, Kai lifted his jade sword above his head and, with a bellow of anger, brought his sword slamming down onto Milu's shield with a crash! The chi shield shattered and faded, leaving the doctor to fall onto his back with a grunt. His shield of chi faded into mist, Milu was panting and staring up at Kai in defeat. His energy had been depleted, and he raised a single hoof in a meager attempt to protect himself from whatever pain Kai was going to inflict on him.

Leo turned around and noticed Milu had fallen, with Kai looming menacingly over him. "No!" Leo side-kicked Jian in the head- hard- and rushed to Milu's aid. Just as Milu had mere minutes ago, Leo stood protectively over him. His tail lashed as he stared down the ox. Kai didn't even seem angry that Leo had stepped into his path. "You wanted my chi." The lion growled. "Take it, then."

Master Leo straightened his back and opened his arms as an invitation. Milu's eyes widened in shock as Leo presented himself to Kai. Leo turned his head and cast one last glance at Milu. Milu expected to see defeat in Leo's eyes. After all, that's what just happened, right? Kai had wrecked the Jade Palace. He had almost every Master in the Jade Palace under his belt- literally. Kai had beat Masters Leo, Tai, Shifu, and so many more. How could Leo see this as anything other than a loss?

But instead of the hopelessness of losing, Milu saw a glimmer of determination in Leo Lung's eyes. It was nothing more than a moment's glance, but Milu knew what he saw. A mere flicker- there and gone- of bravery. It was the same spark of courage that Milu had seen in the wounded lion in Gongmen City. The lion who threw himself into battle to protect his village. The lion who, knowing he stood no chance of winning, still put himself in harm's way to protect those he cared for. Milu had never seen anything like it.

Kai chuckled, and opened up his hooves, "How brave of you, little cat. Foolish, but brave." Kai chuckled. His hooves glowed a light jade green, and he reached out towards Leo's chest. The lion shuddered and groaned in pain as Kai began stealing his chi.

Kai groaned as he took Leo's chi. The lion was powerful. Granted, he was not as strong as King Yama or Oogway, but his chi was mighty. He felt his body trembling. Kai closed his eyes as his body worked to accommodate even more raw power.

Milu may not be trained in the art of war, but he knew an opportunity when it presented itself. While Kai's eyes were closed and he concentrated on harnessing Leo Lung's power, the elk scrambled to his feet. On all four hooves, Milu turned and ran. His breathing was labored and his muscles ached and begged him to rest. But, if Milu had a sliver of a chance against Kai before, it would be a death sentence to face him now. He had no choice but to flee.

Jian lunged at him to try and keep him from retreating, but Milu bucked his hooves, kicking the jade lion in the jaw. His hooves hit the ground and the doctor wasted no time in hurrying away.

His hooves carried him towards the front of the palace, towards the steps that led down to the Valley. He didn't see where Tigress, Tai Lung, and Huo had retreated. He thought about following them. If he kept at this pace he might be able to catch up to them and meet them. He would tell them that Leo Lung had fallen, and they were the only ones who could warn Po.

A ghastly roar echoed off the mountains behind Milu. The elk turned his head and saw that, from the vantage point of the Master's Gardens, Leo Lung was staring at him.

Except, it wasn't Leo Lung.

He was a jade green statue now. Like his family before him, Leo had become a Jombie. His mane didn't blow with the wind. Instead, it was a heavy green jade hanging around Leo's neck. Milu stared in shock and horror. He felt a pang of fear in his chest as the statue stared at him. It was nothing like Milu had ever seen. Like Leo was a hunter, and he had just spotted his prey. His eyes, now a light green instead of their usual amber, tracked Milu's every movement.

Jian moved to stand beside his son. Both of the lions glowered down at Milu. A pang of fear spiked in Milu's chest as he stared at the two Jombies. In that single moment, Milu had never felt so much terror.

He couldn't meet with Tigress. If Kai sent Leo and Jian after him, he would put everyone in danger. So, instead of following their trail up the mountain, Milu turned and began racing down the steps, towards the Valley. He skirted nimbly around the broken steps that the statue of Oogway had destroyed. His fur began to spike as he felt Leo's eyes watching him. He felt a shiver run through his body as he raced towards the Valley. He feared for his family. He feared for his life.

When he reached the bottom, Milu gave a small gasp of sadness as he took in the destruction of the town square. The stone pavement was in pebbles, the trees and bushes that gave life to the square were uprooted or just completely beheaded as Oogway's statue came crashing through. The fountain, once the centerpiece of the square, was now broken. Water flooded the square, and Milu, now standing on his legs instead of all fours, waded through the near ankle-deep water to get out of the square.

His eyes scanned the Valley as he raced away from the Palace. Maybe he could find Elena? It wouldn't be unlike his wife to stubbornly remain behind and wait for him. But where would she be?

"Elena?" Milu called as he ran through the Valley, towards the river. "Where are you?"

His ears strained as he tried to pick up any sound of his wife, or anybody for that matter, calling back to him. But the town was silent. The only sound the doctor heard was the wind, emptily blowing through the village. Everyone had been evacuated in fear of Kai's arrival.

Desperation, fatigue, and helplessness washed over Milu as he raced towards the river. Not a single soul was in sight when he reached the dock. "Elena?" He shouted, trying to hear her.

When Milu was met with nothing but the sound of the river murmuring below his hooves, the elk hung his head in sadness. He didn't know where the villagers had been evacuated to, whether it was somewhere downriver or to a different city; with nightfall arriving in a matter of hours, it would be no use to go looking for them. A wave of fatigue and tiredness washed over him as his knees began to tremble.

And poor Klara. Milu closed his eyes as images of his daughter raced through his mind. She must be at the panda village by now. Had they taught her how to wield chi, just as he had minutes before? Did she make plenty of friends? Did she miss him as much as he missed her?

And most importantly, could Po protect her? Kai now had Shifu, Leo Lung, and almost all of the Furious Five on his side. He wanted so desperately to go to the village and take her far away. He wanted to protect her as best as he could. But the only way he could do that was to trust in Po.

Milu stumbled onto a dock on the river. His body longed for rest. Healing with chi took a toll on him, but missing his family was the final straw. He fell to his knees as he reached the edge of the wooden dock. His vision began to darken, and he collapsed onto his side. His antlers clacked noisily against the wooden structure, but he paid no heed. His brain fought for him to get up and find Elena, but his body demanded rest. Resting seemed so appealing to his trembling and aching muscles, but at what cost to his family?

As Milu's vision turned black, he thought of only one thing. {Please, let my wife and daughter be safe.}

. . .

{Please?}

. . .

Milu felt a hand grab his shoulder, lightly shaking his body. "Sir? Sir? Are you ok?"

The sun beat hotly down on Milu's fur. His brain was foggy and his eyes were still closed. What had happened? Milu stirred as his eyes squinted open. He was on the dock. His whole body felt sore, and his mouth felt full of cotton. Milu tried to pull his arms under him, but they felt as if they weighed as much as a village of elephants. The figure moved in front of his face, crouching down to block the sun out.

Milu looked up at the figure. He was a tall wolf, with curious yellow eyes, "Sir? You're the doctor, right?"

He gave a tired nod, "Yes." He rasped. Oh, right. Kai had happened.

"Are you ok?" The wolf asked, his paw on Milu's shoulder.

Milu was about to answer 'yes' but stopped himself short. Another wave of fatigue washed over him, causing his vision to fade in and out. When was the last time he had eaten? Surely he had breakfast this morning, but he felt so weak it seemed like he had gone days without eating. Was it this morning? How long had he been passed out? It was almost evening when Kai had arrived at the Jade Palace, but now, with the hot summer sun beating down on his back, it felt like it was around noon.

"No," The wapiti murmured. He moved his tongue around in his mouth, almost as if it were an alien feeling to him. Milu closed his eyes with a quiet sigh, wishing to resign back to sleep.

The wolf looked down at him, "What happened? Where is everyone?"

Milu gathered his strength and moved to sit up. The wolf grabbed his arm and helped him sit back. Milu took a deep breath and examined the wolf in front of him; he was a young tawny-colored wolf with bright yellow eyes. He had a bow and quiver on his back. "Kai," Milu answered simply. His body was beginning to wake up. He felt the feeling return in his arms and legs, and the fogginess surrounding his brain began to lift.

"Oh." The wolf said quietly, "Kai attacked our village too."

Milu lifted his head, "What?"

"Kai attacked our village." The wolf stated, "He took Shui." He hung his head sadly.

Milu felt his eyes widen in shock as he registered what the wolf told him, "What do you mean 'took Shui'?" His ears perked forward as he waited for the tawny wolf to answer.

"Well, he turned her into this weird pendant." The wolf held up his paw to demonstrate the size of the pendant, "He clipped it onto his belt and left. I came here hoping to find help," The wolf trailed off, "and you're a doctor, right? You can help us."

Milu sighed. He pulled himself to his feet, wobbling a bit as he caught his balance. "I am a doctor." He said, "But I can't help you." He said sadly. "Shui's been converted into one of Kai's minions."

"How do we undo it, then?" The wolf asked.

"We can't." Milu turned to leave. "It's up to Po to stop Kai, now." He stumbled towards the base of the dock. His legs were still aching from yesterdays- Milu assumed it had been yesterday- battle with Kai. "If you'll excuse me, I need to find my wife."

"W-Wait!" The wolf barked, "Our village still needs help!" He cried.

Milu stopped in his tracks as he heard the wolf behind him, but he wished he hadn't. Elena was probably worried sick about him. He needed to find her and make sure she was ok. But he felt a pang in his heart as the wolf quietly whined behind him. He was a doctor. It was his job to heal. Milu slowly turned, "What's your name, wolf?"

"L-Lie Ren, sir." Lie Ren said. His face conveyed the desperation of the situation, "We need your help."

Milu took a deep breath. He gazed behind Lie Ren and saw a small boat with an ocean-blue sail. It was Shui's boat. Lie Ren had come all the way here for his help.

He then turned and gazed back into the village. He wanted to find Elena and comfort her. But the more he thought about it, the more determined he became. Elena was strong-willed and stubborn. She would be fine on her own.

The wolves, however, needed him. Milu had seen the power of Kai first-hoof. If Kai had attacked the wolf village- who didn't have any trained Kung Fu warriors to protect them- he could only guess what kind of damage had been caused. He straightened his back and turned back to Lie Ren. "They'll need all the help they can get." He slowly walked towards the boat, "Show me the way."

. . .

Tigress

. . .

Tigress, Tai Lung, and Huo had been running for just over a day now, with little to no rest. Tigress and Tai Lung would take turns holding Huo. The poor pup could hardly handle walking more than a couple of miles before wanting to be picked up and carried. Tigress could hardly blame him.

When Huo wasn't sleeping or crying, he would ask questions. 'Where are we going?' was the most commonly asked question. Tigress didn't mind it and would calmly answer his questions to the best of her ability; but Tai Lung, who had much less patience than Tigress for Huo's antics, would huff and grumble quietly whenever Huo got talkative.

Right as the trio were cresting the slope of a mountain, Huo, holding Tigress's paw, asked for the fourth time that hour: "Are we there yet?"

"No!" Tai Lung immediately snapped with a lash of his tail. Huo visibly flinched at the leopard's sudden outburst. His bottom lip quivered and he stared at the ground.

Tigress felt her fur prickle as she glared at Tai Lung, "There's no reason to be harsh with him." She said.

"He's done nothing but ask the same question over and over!" Tai Lung argued. Tigress picked up Huo. The wolf pup gently hugged his arms around her. Tigress rubbed his back gently and arched an eyebrow at Tai. The leopard, seeing how Tigress would likely slash his eyes out if he came after Huo like that again, sighed, "Have you fed him?"

Tigress spoke calmly, "If I had food, I would've fed it to him already." She turned to look at the wolf pup, who was staring intently at the fur on the back of his paw, "Are you hungry, Huo?"

"Mhm." He hummed, leaning in for a hug. Tigress hugged him back,

"We'll find some food for you."

Tai Lung grumbled quietly and began walking again, "We need to keep moving." He said resolutely, heading down the mountain. Huo turned his head to watch the leopard leave, and he looked at Tigress.

"Does Tai-Tai hate me?" He asked quietly. His ruby-red eyes were glistening with unfallen tears.

Tigress was tempted to answer 'yes, he does hate you.' Tai Lung probably wouldn't hear her. Huo was supposed to be her godson, not his. If Huo thought Tai Lung hated him, he would avoid him and spend more time with her, right? But Tigress knew that being jealous of their relationship wouldn't strengthen hers and Huo's. She took a deep breath and answered,

"No. Tai-Tai does not hate you."

"Promise?" Huo whimpered.

"Promise," Tigress said, following after Tai Lung, who was advancing quickly down the mountain. She held on tight to the wolf pup as she began to scale down the mountain to catch up to the leopard. They descended into a valley and Tigress put Huo down so he could stretch his legs some more. Tigress did not know how much farther they had to go, and she trusted that they could find their way. She was no expert in tracking, but, with Tai Lung leading the way, she hoped that the leopard had better experience following trails than she did.

Meanwhile, Tai Lung was looking at the Scroll of Oogway. He walked while scanning the contents of the scroll. The leopard was looking specifically at the pandas healing Oogway while Kai stood, watching, nearby.

Tigress matched pace with him and looking at the scroll. She studied the pandas and the glowing light coming from their paws. Tai spoke without looking at her, "How much do you trust Po?"

She answered without even thinking, "I'd trust him with my life."

"What about Huo's life?" Tai asked, an eyebrow raised. "You think he can master chi in..what? It's been a week?"

Tigress felt her fur stand on end as she registered the leopard's words, "Po has saved my life before." Her mind flashed back to the Battle against Shen, where he leaped in front of the Peace Destroyer to save her. He very well could have died, but he didn't even hesitate to throw himself in front of the fiery cannonball. "I do not doubt that Po would do the same for Huo. And Po is a fast learner. If he could beat you after only having a few days to train, I am certain that we will be fine."

Tai lashed his tail and snapped the scroll shut, "Can you please drop that? I get it, it was easy for Po to beat me. But I am not Kai. Kai is stronger. Kai beat me. And you. And Oogway. And Shifu. He probably beat Leo, too. But if we can just focus on the matter at hand," Tai held up the scroll for emphasis, "and get to the panda village before Kai does, that'd be great."

"That's what we've been doing for the last day," Tigress said. "And I've seen what Po could do. I trust him to protect us." She watched as Huo wandered slightly off the trail to inspect an oddly shaped rock.

"Fine." The leopard said.

The three continued in silence. At least, Tigress and Tai did. Huo babbled and sang to himself as he walked. As they wandered through the valley, Huo suddenly lurched off the path and into a nearby bush. Tigress stopped suddenly, "Huo?" She asked. Tai looked back, slowing his pace.

The pup reemerged moments later with a little butterfly in his paws, "Lookie what I found!" He held the butterfly by its wings and thrust it upwards to show Tigress and Tai.

"Be gentle with it," Tigress smiled. She gave Huo an encouraging pat on the head, and Huo loosened his grip on the butterfly's wings. The butterfly wriggled out of his paws and began to fly away.

Tai turned away from the scene and looked up at the nearby mountains that rose above the forest. The sun was beginning to dip behind the peaks. The night was coming. "We should find a place to rest." He spoke. When Tigress looked at him, he added on quickly, "For Huo's sake."

As they searched for a place to bed down for the night, Huo asked, "Why are we walking?" He held Tigress's paw as he walked.

"Well," She began to think as Huo waited for an answer, "we are going to visit Master Po."

"Where is he?" Huo yawned.

"In a village, far far away," Tigress said.

"Where?" The pup murmured.

"I..." Tigress started. She didn't know the exact location of the village. "Well. We will be there soon. Then you will know where it is." She said calmly.

"Oh." Huo wandered sleepily around the clearing. He didn't question the logic. By this time, night was almost upon them. Stars glimmered above the trio and the crickets and cicadas began their nightly song. The only thing illuminating the clearing was the moon, nearly half full above them, and the twinkling stars.

"Get him ready for bed," Tai said quietly, "I'll get some firewood for a fire." He turned and slowly marched into the woods, scanning for stray twigs and branches on the ground. Tigress watched quietly as the leopard left.

"It's time to go to sleep, Huo." Tigress instructed, sitting down next to Huo, who was rubbing his eyes sleepily.

"When can we see Po?" The puppy yawned. Tigress took off her golden jacket and lay it on the ground. She set Huo on one end of the jacket and began to roll him up in it to keep him warm.

"Soon. Maybe tomorrow or the next day." She hummed quietly, gently stroking Huo's head as the pup drifted off to sleep. She felt the wind blow through her fur. Soon Huo began to snore quietly, which caused Tigress to smile involuntarily.

When Tai Lung returned several minutes later with some firewood, Tigress' smile faded. She watched in silence as he lit the campfire by viciously rubbing two sticks together.

The two large cats sat in silence, with only Huo's snoring and the nightly ambiance filling the silence. Tigress contented herself with staring at the flickering flames of the fire, while Tai continued to study the Scroll.

Tigress felt the exhaustion of the past 36 hours begin to weigh on her mind. She and Tai Lung were the only Kung Fu Masters able to relay the message to Po about what happened at the Jade Palace. Tigress did not want to think about it, but she knew that if Leo Lung had survived Kai, surely he would've caught up to them by now?

She winced her eyes closed. {When Po defeats Kai, we can fix this. We'll get everyone back.} She thought to herself. Tigress gently lay down on her side facing the fire, with Huo cuddling into her stomach. She felt sleep tugging at her consciousness, and her breathing slowed. Tai's eyes flickered over to her for a moment,

"Good night." He said, watching Tigress' eyelids become heavy.

Tigress cast one glance to Tai Lung and flipped over onto her other side.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Authors Note: I hope that wasn't too rushed! I knew I missed my deadline but I still tried to convey the emotions that Tigress, Milu, and Tai Lung would be feeling in the wake of Kai's attack.
> 
> I'm going to have to suspend my current posting schedule until the fall semester lets out (December 5). During December and January, however, I will likely resume my previous schedule and will try to make up for the lost time. I don't want to disappoint you guys, but I don't want to spread myself too thin with school and other hobbies/clubs. Hopefully, I can finish this story by spring 2021!
> 
> My Youtube Channel has speedpaints of three of my OCs and a cute little animatic I made. Fanfiction won't let me post the link in this chapter, so I posted the link on my profile! The link is also on my Wattpad (MissFirefly227) and Fanfiction.net (MissFirefly601)
> 
> Until then, be sure to leave a kudos if you liked the story! Leave a bookmark to know the exact moment the next chapter comes out! Also leave a review if you have an idea, question, comment, or concern! Positive feedback really helps!


	14. Author's Note

Hey everyone! I'm alive!

I am so terribly sorry for making you guys wait an entire semester for the next chapter! I definitely overestimated how much time I would have to work on the story during college. Luckily, I finished with good grades and have made lots of friends, and I look forward to next semester.

I haven't given up on this story, not when I have put so much time and effort into the series and I am so close to finishing. The rest of the story has been planned out chapter by chapter, so all I need to do is get writing. I have begun work on Chapter 14, and I am about 1/3 of the way through with it. I predict it will be done by Christmas Eve (December 24) or around that time :) Unfortunately, I have now have had to get a job because I need the money, but I will be concentrating on the story as much as possible, especially after 2021 begins. I promise this story will be finished.

Thank you so much for your patience, I appreciate and love each and every one of you.

Much love,

Miss Firefly


	15. The Hurt and The Healer

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone. I am so sorry for missing my deadline and making you guys wait! Christmas and New Years were absolutely crazy for me. I can understand if you are upset with me. Trust me, I've been kind of beating myself up over missing the deadline. But, regardless, I am so happy to be able to put out this new chapter. It was kind of rough writing this chapter, but you'll find out why.

.

Po

.

The water of the hot spring soaking into his skin almost made Po feel like nothing was wrong. He took a deep inhale as his muscles relaxed and his mind cleared. If this was the life of a panda, then he would be content to live here for the rest of his life.

However long it lasted.

Po's eyes slowly opened as he remembered what he came here for. He came here to learn chi. His father claimed he knew chi, but the only way to learn it was to become a true panda.

Surely he had done everything by now? Rolling, hugging, eating, relaxing, and even playing hacky sack with the panda triplets! He was a fast learner, so anything else his father threw at him he could quickly master.

So why was Li not teaching him about chi?

Was his father afraid? Maybe he thought Po wouldn't be able to master chi in time to defeat Kai. The very thought of his father doubting his abilities saddened Po. All he wanted was for his father and the tribe of pandas to accept him as one of their own.

When Li slid into the hot spring across from Po, Po was silent. His father, mistaking Po's silence for happy contentedness, took a deep, relaxed sigh and relaxed his arms across the outer rim of the pool.

A sudden shout followed by laughter drew Po's attention away from Li. He looked up. Po spotted Klara, along with Ku Ku, Meng Meng, and Shuai Shuai, playing along the outskirts of the village. Klara was holding a kite string in her hooves and was racing her kite against the panda triplets' kite. Po felt a gentle smile tug at his lips as Klara played with the other children.

Judging by what he was seeing, it was almost as if Klara forgot about Kai. She looked like just an ordinary kid playing with other kids. Shifu had asked Klara to continue her Kung Fu training, but here she was having the time of her life. Po let out a quiet, mildly dejected sigh at the thought of Klara having to face the fact that Kai was coming.

His father heard him sigh, and turned to him, "What kind of a sigh was that?" He almost sounded disappointed, "You do it like this:" Li took in a deep inhale, then let it out in a big, happy exhale.

Po nodded and followed along, copying his father, "Like that?"

"Good work, Po." Li praised, smiling at Po. "You've come a long way."

Po felt a smile tug on his face after he heard Li's words. His words were true: Po had learned a lot in the ways of a panda lifestyle. "Thanks, Dad," He smiled. "I never knew life as a panda can be so...fun." Despite his doubts about Kai, Po still felt the easy, carefree lifestyle of the panda tugging and calling his name. "Do you think I am ready to learn chi, now?"

The happy, contented look on Li's face fell ever so slightly. The larger panda thought for a moment, before looking at Po, the smile reappearing on his face, "Soon, Po. Real soon. Come with me, I have something to show you."

The two pandas clambered out of the hot spring and redressed themselves. Li led Po up the village and back towards his house. Po remained silent, but his mind raced as he wondered what Li would show him. Was this the beginning of his chi training? He began to feel giddy at the thought. He knew how to make the flowers bloom, but would Li teach him how to wield it in combat? How to heal others? How to master it?

Li opened up the front door of his home, "Sorry about the mess." He murmured, "I don't usually get many visitors." Po closed the door behind him as he entered. He led Po towards the back of his home. "Look." He gestured towards a small shrine in the wall. There were several candles lit, and in the center of the shrine was a tiny painting, no bigger than Po's hand.

Po took the painting and examined it. There, standing in the middle of the fabric, were two pandas. A large, elegant female panda stood on the left, while she cuddled and held a small baby in her arms. Both had large smiles on their muzzle. Po felt his throat tighten as he examined the painting, "Is..is this my mom?" He asked.

Across from him, smiling wistfully, Li nodded, "I had this painting done on your one-hundredth day." He reminisced. "Your mama couldn't hold you still. You tried to eat the paper!" He chuckled. "It's true."

Po felt a large grin crease his face, and he felt tears well up in his eyes. This was his mother. His mother. "What was she like?" He nearly begged his father for answers.

Li chuckled, "She was the total package. Smart, gorgeous, tremendous appetite." He laughed. "The love of my life." Li closed his eyes and smiled, "I didn't think I could get any luckier. Then...you came along." Li opened his eyes, "My little Lotus. I really did have it all."

Po watched as Li's demeanor changed. His face went from wistful and content to visibly upset. "Then... that moment came where I lost everything. Lord Shen attacked our village. We had no warning. No alarms, no signals. They just. . . swooped in." Li winced his eyes shut, "I tried to fight. I tried to hold back those wolves. One of them nearly attacked you. I got there just in time." He took in a shaky breath, and Po listened attentively,

"I never shouted at your mother. I never raised my voice to her. But that was the one time I did. I ordered her to take you and to run. Run as far and as fast as she could. She picked you up and carried you into the forest outside the village. I didn't retreat until the village was nearly gone. I tried following the tracks, but there were so many, I nearly got lost.

"It wasn't until after I found everyone and we regrouped did I realize both of you weren't among the survivors. I went looking. I looked in the village, but I couldn't find anything. I was scared to go look in the forest. I was afraid of what I would find." Li opened his eyes, and Po saw they were wet with tears. Li spoke slowly, as if just talking about the memories hurt him.

"I found her body, but I couldn't find you. I searched for days. The thought of losing my wife- your mother- it hurt more than anything. But losing you-" Li sobbed, "It almost broke me."

Po felt his heart wrench and his throat tighten as his father opened up to him. He felt the emotions wash over him, and, without really thinking, Po pulled his father into a hug. Li sighed shakily and hugged Po back. Po sighed in happiness and relief,

"You never have to worry about losing me again, Dad."

.

Milu

.

Milu's first thought as he lay down in the boat was to pass out. The gentle rocking of the boat and the quietness of the nature around him nearly kept Milu in a state of almost-sleep. He looked up and saw trees, mountain tops, and clouds. The sky was darkening, and the light blue had turned into a pinkish-orange. Any other day he would be asleep by now.

But the knowledge that the world was nearly crumbling around him kept him awake. The Jade Palace was almost destroyed. The only surviving Kung Fu Masters were Tai Lung, Tigress, and Po. Milu squeezed his eyes shut. Po didn't even know what had gone down just yesterday. And Klara; Milu felt tears prick his eyes as he thought about his daughter. By sending her to the panda village, he wanted to protect her from Kai. But now, if Kai went to that village, he feared the worst.

What if Kai was already there? What if Po wasn't able to protect her? And here he was, going to heal the wolves in the wolf village while his daughter- his only child- is in the crosshairs of danger.

It was a sort of psychological torture he wouldn't wish on his worst enemy.

He lay on his back while Lie Ren quietly steered the sailboat down the river. The young wolf often cast nervous glances at Milu but would move his gaze back to the river, or the sail, or his bow, which he had cast on the boat floor in front of him. Milu's eyes, glazed over and half-lidded, wouldn't even make eye contact.

By the time evening came, Milu came to his senses. His arms and legs felt weak like he hadn't eaten in days. Although, now that he thought about it, it likely had been days since he last ate. Couple that with how he had put nearly everything he had into healing Leo Lung, and Milu was surprised at the fact that he wasn't dead yet.

The elk quietly sat up and looked at Lie Ren, who was sitting in front of him, gently guiding the boat around a bend in the river. As Milu righted himself, his head began to spin, and he took a deep, quiet breath to steady himself before he spoke.

"'Tis a day's journey to the village?" He rasped. His throat felt like it was full of cotton, and his tongue felt swollen and dry in his mouth.

Lie Ren startled in front of him, whipping around to turn and look at Milu. "Oh! Sir, you're awake." He said. "Yeah, we'll be there tomorrow afternoon." The wolf's tone then quieted, "You looked like some sort of zombie, laying there." He whispered.

Milu took a minute to let Lie Ren's words sink in. The young wolf was probably right. He had probably slept at least 12 hours, but he still felt weighed down. He nodded slowly, his heavy antlers nearly causing him to fall over. His mind moved to the Jade Zombies that Kai had turned the other masters into. He remembered seeing Leo Lung and the second lion- as well as Crane and Mantis- being turned into a Jombie- as Po called them. Their movements were stiff and statue-like. Zombies if there ever were one.

"Have you seen Kai's minions?" Milu quietly asked.

"Minions?" Lie Ren questioned.

"The Jom-" He halted himself, thinking over his words to something the wolf would understand, "the jade statues that Kai controls. Those are his minions."

"Oh." The wolf slowly and sadly nodded, "Yeah. He used some of those statues to attack our village. Where does he get them? They're..." Lie Ren thought over his words carefully, as if he were thinking back to when Kai attacked, "strange."

"When Kai takes the chi of a warrior," Milu propped himself up on the edge of the boat, "He takes control of their body. Uses it as an extension of his own body."

"It doesn't matter if that warrior is alive or dead?" Lie Ren quickly asked.

"I am assuming not," Milu answered. His eyes drifted towards a bowl that Lie Ren had perched near him. Milu gestured towards the bowl, and Lie Ren, spotting it, handed it over. The elk reached the bowl into the river, collecting some water, and began to drink needily. The water was cold in his mouth, but it brought the energy that the doctor never thought he would have again. Without saying anything, Lie Ren grabbed a potato sack sitting in front of him and handed Milu some fruit. "Thank you, kind wolf." Milu breathed.

Lie Ren turned away while Milu ate, turning his gaze back to the river. After several minutes of eating and another bowl full of water, Milu finished. Feeling his strength return, Milu stood and walked over to where Lie Ren was standing near the sail.

"May I ask how bad the battle was? I assume it went badly, considering Kai is still alive and you came here for help." Milu's ears tilted forward as the tawny wolf nodded in shame.

"Yeah. It was bad. I tried my best, but... Kai was so..strong. The battle wasn't even that long. But I watched Shui fight." His eyes narrowed as he remembered the battle, "The battle was almost over. I didn't want to die, but I didn't want to be labeled as a coward either." He whined, "So I decided to go get help. Nobody saw me leave, I don't think. But I...I looked back. I saw Shui. All of the other wolves had fallen but she was fighting." Lie Ren's eyes pressed shut, but he continued speaking,

"She fought with the fury of...of a raging storm. Kai was watching too. She fought against two of the statues at once. I think he was impressed, too. But he still didn't spare her." Lie Ren sighed sadly, "I saw him turn her into jade. I wish I was brave enough to stick around and help instead of running away." His gaze fell to his feet as a soft whine escaped his throat.

Milu took a deep breath and laid a reassuring hoof on Lie Ren's sagging shoulder. "You did what you could've, son. You're not a coward, and I will tell you now that Kai attacked the Jade Palace yesterday, just before you arrived. Shifu and Leo Lung tried their best to stop him. None of them stood a chance." Milu spoke honestly, "He took their chi as well. Tai Lung and Tigress managed to escape with Huo, luckily."

"So Huo's ok?" Lie Ren visibly perked up at the mention of the pup's name. Milu nodded and continued,

"He was when I watched them escape." The elk smiled reassuringly. "I'm sure it will bring joy to the pack knowing that Shui's child is alive."

"Yeah," Lie Ren smiled half-heartedly. "The battle was rough." He looked back out over the river, gently guiding the boat. By now the sun had set. Crickets began to chirp, and the stars began their nightly dance in the inky blue sky. Lie Ren lit a lantern that was hanging on the edge of the boat to guide him. The orange-yellow glow of the flame illuminated the two as they sat in the boat.

"If I may ask," Milu started, "who were the statues that Shui fought? Kai had sent Crane and Mantis against the Palace, and some others I didn't recognize when he first attacked the Valley nearly a week ago."

At his words, Lie Ren stiffened for a moment. He pursed his lips, clearly debating on whether or not he should say something. His shoulders sagged for a moment. "It's ok if you didn't recognize them. I was simply curious." Milu spoke, turning his gaze back to the water. But Lie Ren shook his head.

"No...no, I did recognize them." He said quietly. Milu's ears rotated forward as he listened to Lie Ren's next words,

"It was Shen and Alpha."

.

Tigress

.

If she were judging purely by the happy chirping of the birds, Tigress would have never guessed how much danger she and Huo were in. But as she and Huo, with Tai Lung following behind, crossed through a meadow in the shadow of a mountain, that was all Tigress could hear: ground birds and meadowlarks and other birds singing carefree songs.

Huo was perfectly happy with trying to match pitch with the birds- he eagerly hummed and howled whenever a bird called out, trying to harmonize with their song. Tigress smiled as she listened to Huo. His howls filled in the silence, which meant Tigress didn't have to make conversation with Tai Lung, who was several paces behind them keeping watch for danger.

Although Tai was never a big talker from what she had experienced, the leopard was quieter than usual this morning. At the start of their trek today, Tigress assumed he was concentrating on looking for any of Kai's Jombies or other signs of trouble. But now, after the sun had peaked and was beginning to set, the leopard had hardly spoken directly to her.

But whenever Huo talked to him, Tai was happy to hold a conversation. When Huo plucked a pretty flower with soft white petals and proceeded to show both Tigress and Tai his newest possession, Tai praised him and patted him on the head encouragingly. Huo had continued to babble about flowers and plants for the next hour, while Tai listened attentively, whilst also scanning the horizon.

By how much time Huo spent with Tai, an outsider would rarely guess that Tigress was Huo's godmother.

After the sun had set and the trio began to slow down for the night, Tigress looked at Tai, who was setting up a bed of leaves and moss for Huo. "Tai. May I talk to you?"

"What is it?" The leopard asked, his tail flicking in her direction.

"What's bothering you?" She questioned, her voice soft in the twilight air.

"Are you worried about me?" Tai straightened, his golden eyes looking in her direction. "That's new."

{Now he's back,} Tigress thought to herself. Huo came up to Tai. The pup grabbed and hugged his leg, but Tai gently pushed Huo away, "Get ready for bed, Tigress and I are talking."

Tai gestured for Tigress to follow him, and they went several paces away from Huo, who was sitting on his rump on his makeshift bed. When they were out of earshot, Tai turned and looked down at Tigress, "Why are you just now beginning to be concerned about me? Several days ago you hardly cared for me. Don't tell me Huo's given you a change of heart."

Tigress huffed, "I figured if we are going to have to warn Po, we might as well be on good terms with each other when we get to the village. Besides, it's not good for Huo to think we hate each other. He's been through a lot these last few days."

Both of the two cats turned and looked over to where Huo was. The pup's back was turned to them as he stared off into the wilderness beyond the camp. Tigress thought she heard murmuring, but, when she shifted her footing, she couldn't see anyone other than the dark grey wolf pup. {He's probably just staring at some far off trees,} Tigress thought to herself. Tigress looked back at Tai, who met her gaze.

"If anything I'd say Huo's given you a change of heart." She said.

The leopard's gaze snapped back to her, "Are you calling me soft?" He growled quietly. His fur began to stand on end and his tail lashed, disturbing the foliage on the ground. Tai Lung had never been one to have a soft personality, even with Huo around.

Tigress patiently shook her head, "I'm saying that, compared to what I was told growing up in the palace, and the leopard I fought at the Thread of Hope, you seem a lot...different." The tiger commented.

Tai Lung went quiet. Judging by the unreadable look in his eyes, Tigress guess that he had something to say, but the subtle perk of his ears told her he was curious to hear what she had to say, so she continued. "You're not as violent as you were those years ago when you attacked the Palace. I don't know what happened between then and now, but you've changed." She gave Tai a friendly, reassuring smile.

The larger cat's lips turned upward in a knowing smirk. "Ah, the Spirit Realm." He reminisced.

"Would you mind telling me what happened there?" Tigress asked curiously. "After...after Po beat you?"

Tai nodded slowly, trying to recall what he remembered. He sighed after a minute, "It's hard to remember. The longer I stay in the mortal realm the more I forget what happened there. I suspect in another few days it will just seem like a dream. Leo Lung was there, and we fought. I remember that. Then,"

The leopard squeezed his eyes closed as he tried to recall what happened, "Oogway was there. He helped Leo Lung and I forgive each other. I think that was when Leo Lung was sent back. But after that, Oogway and I began training. It was almost as if we were back in the Palace, training. Time didn't seem real. We didn't need to eat or sleep. We just existed.

Sometimes I would visit a reflection pool." Tai admitted. "I could look back into the mortal realm. I wanted to see what Leo Lung was doing- how his life was going. I watched him go to Gongmen and fight Shen. I watched the factory explode, and I saw his recovery." The leopard smiled, "He sure is a stubborn one."

Tigress nodded as she recalled the weeks Leo spent in healing after the explosion in Gongmen. Tai continued, "During the battle by the river I wasn't sure he would make it out alive. But, lo and behold, Po mastered inner peace in time." The leopard then added on quietly, "I admit, it was impressive."

When Tigress heard those words, she almost felt proud. Proud for Po, for being able to earn Tai Lung's praise, and proud for Tai Lung for being humble to praise Po and his abilities.

"You didn't hear me say that, though," Tai growled quickly.

"Yes, I did." Tigress retorted quickly, a smirk on her face.

Tigress turned and made her way back to the camp. Huo was laying on his side with his back to her. Tigress would have assumed he was asleep, except he wasn't on his bed that Tai Lung had made for him. He was by the bushes that Tigress had seen him near earlier.

And he was shaking. Violently.

Tigress inhaled sharply and rushed over to him, kneeling beside him. "Huo?!" She turned him over. The pup's eyes were rolled back into his head, and his lips were foaming.

"What's going on?" Tai ran to Tigress and looked down at Huo in worry.

"He's having a seizure..." Tigress said quickly. She picked up Huo and began cradling him in her arms. "It's ok," She whispered to him, holding him close to her chest.

Tai Lung knelt across from her, "Does he usually have seizures?" He whispered frantically, his golden eyes wide with worry. Tigress shook her head at him.

"He's never done anything like this." She said, pinning her ears to her head as she listened to the wheezing pup.

This was the first time Huo had a seizure in front of her. Neither Shui nor Ri Chu had mentioned anything about Huo being sick. "Then why is he having a seizure?!" Tai Lung demanded.

"I don't know!" Tigress snapped at him, her grip on Huo tightening as his limbs trembled.

The leopard watched helplessly as Tigress held Huo in her arms. She continued whispering in his ear, "It'll be ok," She said. Huo's breathing became labored. Tai Lung looked around, searching for anything that he could do to help.

He looked at the ground beside him and saw several bright berries. Tai Lung slowly picked up one of the berries and looked at it. It was a small seed pod colored a bright orange-red, and it didn't have a distinctive scent or sharp spines to ward off predators. Very tempting to an unsuspecting pup.

Tai turned around and firmly, yet gently, grabbed Huo's muzzle and inspected it. He could feel his heart pounding in his ears as he tried to work. Huo's entire mouth and lips were white with foam. Tai Lung used the back of his paw to wipe away the mess on Huo's face. There, underneath the foam and spittle on Huo's lips was the same orange-red tint of the berries.

"These berries are poisonous!" Tai concluded, "We need to make him vomit."

Tigress looked up at him, and without hesitating, Tai Lung stuck his finger into Huo's mouth, reaching towards the back of his throat. Huo's jaw seized, and Tai felt the pup's needle-sharp teeth dig into his skin. He winced as he tried to find his gag reflex. Huo continued to shiver violently, but Tai didn't give up hope as he pressed his fingers against the back of Huo's throat.

Then, with a sudden, powerful twitch and a loud gag, the dark wolf pup began to vomit all over Tai's fingers, Tigress's lap, and the ground beneath. In the mixture of the bile, Tai saw the bright orange-red tint of the berries he had ingested.

"Get him some water," Tigress said, her voice hoarse and her ears pinned to the back of her head.

As Tai Lung rushed off to find the nearest stream, Tigress felt Huo's convulsions begin to slow down and his breathing became more audible. Tigress felt relief flood into her veins. She swallowed and whispered to the child, "It's ok, Huo. It's ok, now. You're going to be ok. I'm-" She took a deep breath to try and regain her composure, "I'm so sorry." She took deep breaths as she stared at the child's lips.

She didn't even see Huo eat the berries. Tigress looked up at the bushes where Tai had run off into. From where he was sitting, Tai was able to spot the berries before she could and deduce that Huo had accidentally eaten the berries before Tigress even knew he was poisoned.

Tigress closed her eyes and thanked Oogway that Tai Lung had saved Huo's life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Authors Note: What a chapter, huh? Po found out his father's side of the story of Shen's invasion, Milu figured out that Alpha and Shen are under Kai's control, and Tai Lung saved Huo's life! I have next chapter all planned out, so all I need to do is get to writing! I'm not going to do what I did for this chapter and set a deadline, simply because I am afraid I will miss it and disappoint you guys. Anyway, let's get a preview of the next chapter. . .
> 
> "He's one of them, we shouldn't trust him."
> 
> Hmm, sounds like some trust will be tried in the new chapter! If you want to guess who is saying that, and who's untrustworthy, be sure to leave a review! I really appreciate constructive criticism and praise! If you've gotten this far and you haven't already, then you may as well leave a follow and a favorite :)
> 
> Much love,
> 
> Miss Firefly


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